7 Things I’ve Learned on My Journey to Implementing Problem Solving in the Classroom

professional development

Written By: Suzanne Hood, Instructional Coach, and Exemplars Math Consultant

I’ve always believed in the power of students to use their own childlike curiosity to problem solve. These
problem-solving experiences happen for our students naturally, through the math they use in cooking,
playing games and playing with toys, among other things. Problem solving is a life-long skill all
mathematicians use. The true power of a mathematician is the ability to see math in all situations and
solve problems using a toolbox of proven strategies.

While I believe that students are innate problem solvers, I also believe that learned algorithmic thinking
corrupts a child’s natural ability to problem solve and discourages perseverance. Although I have met
many teachers who share my belief that problem solving should be the focus of the math, many struggle
to create this culture in their classroom.

This is becoming more apparent—and the stakes of ignoring problem solving much higher—as we
approach testing season. The classrooms that will likely fall behind in this new era are those who insist
on teaching math through algorithmic thinking. Conversely, I am convinced that teachers who use
problem solving to teach math, supported by materials like Exemplars, will have students who score
proficiently on the state assessment and are more prepared for success beyond the classroom.

So how can teachers help their classrooms make this critical transition to problem solving? My personal
story of transformation, which began after participating in one of Exemplars’ Summer Institutes, offers a
path forward. This was when I realized two important things: first, I needed to work on my own personal
proficiency in teaching problem solving. And second, I wasn’t alone; veteran teachers confessed their
frustration in teaching problem solving, and many admitted their backgrounds did not include support in
how to instruct students through the problem-solving process. Here are seven things I’ve learned on my
journey to becoming an educator fully committed to teaching mathematics through a problem-solving
approach.

1. NURTURE A COMMUNITY OF TRUST.

Based on my experience as a Mathematical Instructional Coach in Georgia, I believe it is essential to

nurture relationships and establish a community of trust between teachers, so that discussions are
authentic and all voices are included. Trust is a prerequisite for being able to assess the strengths,
weaknesses and gaps of teacher readiness in the classroom. Only when teachers feel they are in an
environment where they can share their knowledge, their doubts and their pedagogical weaknesses, will
they be able to feel comfortable.

2. ESTABLISH A BASELINE OF TEACHER READINESS.

Evaluating teacher readiness and needs and getting them on the same page is an important first step.
How can you get teacher teams to have collegial conversations when everyone has a totally different
math background? Do all teachers even want a problem-solving classroom? Do they know what that
means? Asking these questions can be illuminating, albeit tough. As such, using universally agreed-upon
protocols such as those from the National School Reform Facility can establish a baseline to work from,
encourage collaboration, and support an atmosphere of trust.

3. ASSESS STUDENT WORK SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE GAPS ARE.

One way to assess teacher acuity and readiness in teaching problem solving is by assessing student work
using an Exemplars task. Here’s how it worked for me: At the first Professional Learning session, I asked
teachers to bring classroom samples from their most recent classroom Exemplars task. As a community,
we agreed to facilitate the discussion with the protocol Atlas – Learning From Student Work. As I
observed teachers at the meeting, I noticed that while some teachers were proud to display their
samples, others pretended to forget their samples or chose to stick their student work in their tote bag.
As we used the Exemplars standards-based rubric to score our samples, it became clear that our
understanding of the skills needed to meet the standards did not align. The journey began; teachers
began to talk about problem solving.

4. AS A TEAM, ALIGN YOUR MATHEMATICAL BELIEFS TOWARDS PROBLEM SOLVING.

When we began, we knew we shared some foundational mathematical beliefs. We also knew that we
needed to solidify a shared understanding of how a mathematics culture transfers knowledge from the
teacher to the student. We used the [PDF] Math Framework (a document listing all the mathematical
beliefs of the faculty) as a tool to target instructional strengths and weaknesses. As a team, we revised
the document to build cohesion and a shared understanding of our beliefs. Next, I had the team read a
book rooted in Vygotsky’s constructivist theory to increase our group’s understanding of the problem-
solving trajectory. Because we had been working hard to build an atmosphere of trust, teachers felt safe
sharing their struggles and personal hardships with teaching problem solving. We discovered that we
shared similar experiences, and that we all believed our students would be successful at any problem if
we just taught them the necessary skill set. The student samples, however, told a different story.

5. CREATE SIMPLE TOOLS TO HELP TEACHERS AND STUDENTS INTERNALIZE THE STANDARDS AND
ASSESS THEIR PROGRESS.

At our next meeting, we reviewed Exemplars student work samples and discovered a misconception: we
thought we knew how to teach problem solving, but we were actually teaching skills in isolation. Why?
Quite simply, it turns out that many teachers lacked background knowledge about the Standards of
Problem Solving. To facilitate the understanding of the standards, I created posters with clear icons for
each standard [PDF] (Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, Connections, and
Representation). These anchor charts would support teachers and students. It worked. Now, teachers
could explain each standard. Each classroom in our building displayed the posters. It was a great
reference for both students and teachers. We made a replica of the posters into a small book that
students put in folders for their own reference. Students used the folders as portfolios to track their
problem-solving progress, and created data notebooks to reflect on their growth and set goals for their
next Exemplars task. Using data notebooks empowered kids to self-reflect on their own progress.

6. HOLD INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH STUDENTS TO TRACK PROGRESS AND SET GOALS.

Currently, I am encouraging teachers to hold one-on-one Exemplars conferences with their students.
Individual conferences support differentiated instruction, meet students where they are, and set goals
for the next problem-solving task. Although this approach makes some teachers uneasy at first, they
become more confident over time. Allowing other teachers or coaches to observe and co-teach the
process can lead to greater transparency and effect change in teacher practice.

7. YOU MAY NOT GET THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD, BUT YOU’LL STILL BE CHANGING STUDENTS’
LIVES.

At the beginning of my career, I thought Oprah would call me to announce my Disney Teacher of the
Year Award. While this hasn’t happened yet, I do have countless memories of the sparkle in a child’s eye
when he or she announces, “I get it!” I believe I have the responsibility to show up every day prepared
to change the lives of children and equip them with the skills to be life-long mathematicians. Exemplars
provides the problem-solving tools necessary to guide teaching and build capacity for each child’s
mathematical journey.

Sweaty palms. Difficulty breathing. Forgetting everything you have learned. These are all symptoms of
math anxiety.

From dread of the subject to full-blown panic attacks, math anxiety manifests itself in a variety of ways
in the classroom, from elementary school children all the way through college students.

Experts define it as a tension that interferes with the ability to do math. It’s an emotional condition that
often stems from having a bad experience with the discipline.

In the 1990s, math anxiety was a hot topic in academic journals, and, while it may not be making
headlines now, the problem exists pervasively. “The stigma attached to math is real and prevalent,” said
Kevin Wolpert, head of the mathematics department at Saratoga Springs High School.
Students suffer from math anxiety for a variety of reasons. Some buy into the myth that they just don’t
have “math brains,” and thus lack the ability to be good at it. Yes, there are different brain types, and it
is true that some people find math easier than others, but everyone has the capability, experts say.

Stereotypes persist

The stereotypes and widespread negative views about math haven’t helped. “Society has this view that
math is very difficult, and we really instill this in our kids,” Wolpert said. One study reported that only 7
percent of Americans said they had had a good experience with math, while another concluded that
two-thirds of adults fear and loathe the subject.

Unintentionally, some parents pass this anxiety down to their kids. “At open house, when the parents
come in, you can see that the parents set the groundwork for a fear of mathematics,” Wolpert said.
They have their own memories of trouble in math, and in an effort to empathize with their kids,
unintentionally influence them to think the same way.

Gender can play a role, too, with the mistaken stereotype about men being better in the subject than
women. M. Dolores Cimini, a licensed psychologist and adjunct clinical professor in the School of
Education at the University at Albany, is examining the issue of how to encourage young women to
enter the “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines, which have traditionally been
male-dominated fields.

“I would say there’s a higher prevalence of young women and girls that may experience math anxiety
because they might not necessarily get encouraged to enter mathematics and the other STEM
disciplines,” Cimini said.

Math anxiety can be triggered when a student misses a concept on which others are built. They fall
behind and decide that they’re just not cut out for the subject.

The nature of the subject also contributes to the anxiety for some. There’s just no faking it with math, as
there might be on an essay question in another subject. While in other classes there may be some
leeway for interpretation, this is not the case with math. “Mathematics is a fairly black and white subject
matter,” Wolpert said. “You really can’t make things up. You really have to have a good grasp of the
content in order to be successful.”

Specific content

Connor Dufort, a senior at Saratoga Springs High School, found that this contributed to his math anxiety.
He describes himself as not a poor math student, but a slow one, so during timed tests, anxiety peaks.
“Math is just so concrete that it gets really difficult when you’re stressed out and the adrenaline kicks
in,” he said. The problems on the page become almost foreign to him, even though he knows the subject
matter. This type of anxiety doesn’t follow him into any other subject area.

Elior Moskowitz, an honors math student at Saratoga Springs High School, can’t say exactly when her
anxiety about math began, but like Dufort, she did pinpoint that much of it stemmed from having
enough time to complete the exams. After making some careless mistakes on tests, she became
meticulous with her work, checking answers over and over again, which slowed down her pace. “I would
hear people turning pages, and I wasn’t on the next page yet,” she said. “It was unsettling knowing that
they were ahead of me.”

She began to get jittery before tests. “The more I felt rushed to finish, the more I would dread them and
the more anxious I got,” she said.

Her situation is not unusual. Often, a bad experience produces the anxiety, which in turn causes the
student to perform poorly, thus creating an even greater level of anxiety; in other words, a vicious circle
between anxiety and performance.

Overcoming the problem

The good news is that it is entirely possible to overcome math anxiety and succeed in the classroom.
Students, parents and teachers can all have a role in this.

Jim Matthews is a professor of mathematics and computer science at Siena College who teaches
students who are studying to become secondary math teachers. He spends time in class getting them to
think about how they will reach all of their students, from the highest achievers to the lowest. “You have
to try to hook students into a part of mathematics that they really enjoy,” he said.
Helping a student feel confident is a big part of conquering the anxiety. When a teacher finds a part of
math that a student can really relate to, it helps to build confidence, Matthews said.

Word problems can cause big challenges. Students become overwhelmed by the words on the page,
even though they might be able to solve the same problem given as a straightforward equation. “They
feel overwhelmed, and they lose confidence,” said Mary Anne Fantauzzi, an Academic Intervention
Services mathematics teacher at Saratoga Springs High School. “It’s unfamiliar territory.”

She uses strategies to transform the unfamiliar into the familiar. For example, she helps students build a
vocabulary to familiarize them with the language that may appear in word problems. “If it says, ‘miles
per gallon,’ I’ve taught them key words that will help them at least to know which mathematical
operation they have to perform to be able to get the question started,” she said.

Dufort’s own method for coping is preparation. He knows that anxiety will kick in if he confronts an
unfamiliar problem on a test. “If you can recognize the problem and know the course of action for it, you
can avoid a lot of the bad feelings, at least in my case,” he said. His preparation is thorough. It involves
reading the textbook, reviewing notes and knowing how to do specific problems.

“When you’re not prepared, anxiety can really build up quickly when you’re a conscientious student,” he
said. He prepares himself so that when a test comes, solving the problems is second nature.

Moskowitz also puts a great deal of time into preparation. She works with a tutor who helps her study,
answers homework questions and makes flash cards as well as affirming her knowledge of the subject.

Confidence-building also comes in the form of getting students to affirm what they already know.
Wolpert has dealt with anxiety-ridden students by teaching breathing, allowing them to relax. They can
then start to recall what they do know about how to solve a problem. “You’ll see students who get very
anxious — they actually forget how to do processes that they know how to do,” he said.

Stressing what students know versus what they don’t helps to build self-esteem, Fantauzzi said. This is
why showing all the steps in solving a problem is important. She can demonstrate what they did right in
the process. “If they show me all the steps, I can say, ‘Listen, it’s not as bad as you think. You were fine
on the first three steps, but on the fourth step, that’s where you made a mistake,’ ” she said. This lowers
the level of anxiety by not having the whole problem wrong and reinforces a student’s abilities.

Another strategy is guided practice. Fantauzzi will show all the different ways that the same question
might be asked so that when students see a problem on a test, it is already familiar to them.

Home atmosphere

At home, parents can help ease students’ anxiety by making sure they have everything they need to be
organized, complete their assignments and study for tests. This might include an agenda, a calculator, a
quiet space conducive to studying and access to online resources, such as online textbook components
with video lessons that are available with some math books.

Texas State University reports that math anxiety among college students has increased significantly over
the past decade. However, students do not need to wait until college to address the issue. The earlier it
can be acknowledged and students learn coping strategies, the better off they will be.

Help abounds. “I want students out there to know that it’s OK to seek help if they’re struggling, and it
really does pay off to have the extra support,” Moskowitz said.

For this paper I will be writing about my experiences with math. I will talk about my feelings about math,
my good and bad math years, and what I expect from myself this year.

I have always liked math and I have always been good at math. I say I've always been good at math
because I've always gotten good grades in math. My math teachers were always really nice to me. I was
constantly helping out other students and it was fun for me.

I didn't ever really feel challenged by math until I got to college. I remember my freshman year at Ohio
State I received my first C in math. It was a statistics course. I worked so hard for that C. It was
frustrating. I realized I never learned to study. Since I couldn't bear the thought of getting yet another
bad grade in math, I decided to join a study group. Wow! That made all the difference in the world. I
never again received another bad grade in math.
Since I'm a teacher, this year I hope to give my students the confidence I had with math when I was their
age. I also want to teach them how to study, since I never learned to study until I got to college. Like I
said in the beginning, I've always liked math and I hope my math experiences can make me a better
math teacher.

Reply

Madison Jean Philippe9/7/2012 08:26:21 am

Math has always been my favorite and my strongest subject ever since I started school. In this essay I
will discuss whether or not I consider my self good at math, my good and bad experiences, and what I
hope to accomplish in math class this year. I love math and I am excited for math class this year with our
wonderful teacher Mrs. Deonarine. This will be exciting and I will try my best this school year.

I consider myself to be good at math. Math, ever since I was a child, was my best and strongest subject
in school. My teachers never used to call on me because I would answer all of the math questions. I
grasp the material quickly and put forth 110% effort. I love math and I feel I will do my best this year to
prove I am good at math.

I have had good and bad experiences in math class. My best experience is getting straight A's on all my
homework assignments for the third trimester of 8th grade. Another good memory was when I was the
first person in my class to figure out a mathematical riddle in 8th grade. A bad memory was when I
started slacking and did not study for a test and I got a c. That was my wake up call to do better and try
hard.

There are a lot of things I hope to accomplish this year during math class. First I want to show I am good
at math instead of saying I am good at math. Then I want to maintain straights A's in math no matter
what it takes. Then I want stay focused and not talk during class. I don't want to distract other from
learning by being rude and talking over others. Finally I would just like to do my best and have a great
school year.

Reply

Noah Langberg9/8/2012 02:00:24 am

In this essay, I will talk about math. Math is one of my strong subjects and one of my favorites. I will
discuss whether or not I think I am good at math and some of my good and bad math experiences. I will
also talk about some of my expectations for this year.

I feel that I am good at math and have definitely improved while in middle school. I think that this is
because my school had four kids in it the first year, seven the second, and seventeen the last. With such
a small number of kids, I got more one-on-one time with the teachers, so I understood faster and
learned more.

Some good math experiences have been when I was struggling with something for a long time and it
finally clicked. This was always a good feeling because then I could whip right through the problems and
be done with the section. Some bad math experiences have been when I just can't figure out how to
solve a problem no matter what I try. This is always eventually solved by what I mentioned in the good
math experiences, but it is still a big pain.

This last paragraph would be the hardest one to find the answer to because in terms of grades, I don't
know what to expect. This is because in my teeny-tiny middle school, we had personal narratives instead
of grades, so I don't know what my average is. What I do know is that if I get below a ninety, I will be
angry with myself. I hope I can do well in math class.

Reply

Grace Yip9/9/2012 02:28:50 am

I haved always liked math. I always got good grades and understood eveything my teacher taught. Math
has become my strongest subject. In this essy i will state my opinion on whether I am good or bad at
math, my good and bad experiances with math, and what I wish to accomplish this year in math.

I would consider myself good at math. Many of teachers in middle school considered math as my
strongest subject. I rarely needed help with any of the material. I always got 90s and above in my math
classes. Even during class i would be helping other students since i have compleated my work already.

Some good memories i had was in the 8th grade. All my test grades were above the 85-90 range. I
always aced my test. Another good memory i had of math was when i got straight A's on all my
homework and classwork in the second trimester of the 8th grade. A bad memory was when in the 6th
grade we had just started learning something new but i wasn't there for the frist 2 days of the lesson
because i was absent. Everyone had grabbed the concept of it by the time i got back to school. Because i
was 2 days behind everyone else i didn't understand a thing and i just barely past the test and quiz on
the subject.

This year what I hope to accomplish is to keep my average above an 85% all year. I also hope to
understsand everything that is taught this year and speak up when I don't understand what is going on
or on something that was just caught. i also hope to always hand in my homework on time.
Reply

Krystal Waheed9/9/2012 03:09:59 am

Me and Math have a very complex relationship, you could almost say where frenemies. I enjoy math its
one of my favorite subjects. But i get annoyed when i cant grasp a topic.

My aunt taught me math at an early age so its always kind of been like second nature to me. I can solve
problems quickly ( its not always organized though) Once i know what I'm doing the math becomes
pretty easy. i would like to think im a good mathematician. I can usually keep up with whats going on,
but if i cant i just re-read the notes until i know what were learning.

Now of course i have my moments when i have no idea what i'm doing. I like the subject math. its math
class i have an issue with. makes no sense i know, but let me explain. my 7th grade math teacher wasn't
the best. I would often be confused and just zone out. So i felt less confident in math which made me
hate having to go to math class. But in the 8th grade i got a wonderful math teacher and math class
became my favorite class. Math overall i enjoy but i worry about math class because i will zone out if im
not completely engaged in the lesson.

This year i want to strengthen my math skills so i feel more confident, Also be more organized with my
work instead of just writing on the page to get the answer. I'm very excited for this year can't wait to
learn more and improve as a mathematician,

Reply

Eldin Pjetrovic9/9/2012 03:33:40 am

In this paper i will be talking about my feelings about math and my experiences with math up until now.

Math was my favorite subject while i was in elementary school, but when i got to middle school i didn't
like it as much. Math was my favorite because i was the best in my class. I would always help out the
kids in my class that were confused and i always understood stuff right away. Math is no longer my
favorite subject but it is also no my least favorite.

My experiences with math haven't been good ones in middle school. I didn't understand things and was
confused most of the time. i Also didn't do much of my homework because i would just give up if i didn't
know what it was about. I'm hoping this year will be easier to understand.
I'm hoping that this year will be a better year for me and that I don't have as much trouble as I did last
year. I am willing to try my best and work harder to do better and get a better grade.

Reply

Carmen Yan9/9/2012 07:42:12 am

People have always been stereotypical about math to Asians saying how all Asians are the best at math
and stuff. I disagree but I have to say, math is my favorite subject academically. I don't always
understand math but I try my best to. My math grades ever since school started for me has always been
90's and up. In high school, I expect nothing to change.

I consider myself okay at math. Math is my favorite subject because that seems to be the only thing
useful for me in the future. My grades in math has always been the highest on my report card, and I
won't deny it, I'm pretty proud of it. Throughout my school years, my math teachers have always been
kind and patient to me because I don't always get stuff on the first try. They never gave up on me, and
that's probably why I enjoy learning math.

I'd have to say the best times I encountered with math was in eighth grade when I was always one of the
first people to complete math worksheets and receiving bonus points for that. Math worksheets
improve my skills on math, A LOT. Another good experience would be how I would be one of the few
people in my school to get 4's in the New York State math exams repeatedly, grade after grade. I don't
have any trouble with math because I always ask questions if I don't understand it. As math gets more
difficult, I hope my straight 90's will remain the same.

As a student, I want to maintain my good grades for math and keep my parents proud. I've heard from a
lot of people that high school is a lot more different than middle school, and by that meaning, it's much
more difficult. They say grades are often much lower than middle school since the topics we learn in
high school is harder and more confusing. I'd do whatever it takes to prove them wrong. I'm looking
forward to learning math from Ms. Deonarine.

Reply

Tabatha Roman9/9/2012 07:56:42 am

I do not consider myself good nor bad in mathematics. I do struggle in some areas but once I get the
hang of things it is rather easy for me. I always try my best to complete my math work correctly and I
will continue to do that throughout this school year. Since math isn't my strongest point I did have a
couple of bad experiences but I also had a couple of good experiences.
When a new subject comes up in math class I always struggle to grasp the concept within the first week.
After that it becomes easy to me and I can complete different worksheets pertaining to that topic. The
problem resurfaces when test or quizzes come along. I suddenly forgot everything I have ever learned in
math and I have to struggle to remember things. One topic that I have never fully understood was
fractions. No matter how many times I try to review notes or study about fractions I can never
understand it. I think that because I am afraid to be wrong I ultimately stopped trying to learn about it.
That goes for anything that I don't understand because after a certain point I just give up. In addition to
that I do not like asking the teacher for help because it makes me feel extremely stupid, especially in
front of the entire class. For example if a teacher has just explained an entire math problem for the
whole class and everyone else gets it but me I wouldn't feel comfortable asking a question because it
makes it seem like I wasn't paying attention and personally I don't like that.

However I did have some good experiences in math. I have never gotten anything under a 90 average.
That boosted my confiedence in math because I know that it is not impossible to understand it. My
teachers were always nice and helped me when they noticed I was struggling. Classwork and homework
were always completed and handed in on time so that contributed to my good grades.

For this school year I would love to continue to put my best math work forward and continue to make
good grades. I would also like to understand the topics more thoroughly instead of rushing through all of
them. Another goal that I have set for myself is to learn how to do fractions. This math year I would like
to work on my study ethic and try not to give up when I don't understand things. I am not asking to be
the Albert Enstien of math but to atleast have a clear understanding of what I am doing.

All in all I do hope that this is a great math year and I can succeed in every topic that we come across
because I know that it will be in my benefit for the future.

Reply

Shirley Lee9/9/2012 08:55:02 am

Throughout this paper, i will be writing about my experiences with math. I could sometimes be weak in
math and i could also be strong in math. I would also be writing about how i feel about math and id i like
it or not.

In my opinion, I think that I'm pretty good in math because math is one of my favorite subjects and i
work the hardest in math. I also get pretty high grades in math each year. For my state tests, i get higher
grades in math than ela.

I had many good experiences in math than bad experiences. Some good experiences i had in math was
with fractions and graphing. Each time I have homework, i always finish my math homework the
quickest. Some bad experiences i had with math was when i don't know how to answer a question.
When i don't know how to answer a question in math, i don't try to do it. It is a bad thing and i have to
change it.
This year, i wish to get an 95 or higher for my math class. I usually get above 90 each year. So for this
year i'm planning to get above 95. I also would accomplish all my work and do my best for everything.
Also, i would come prepare for class everyday and try to not be late.

Reply

Ana Naumovska9/9/2012 11:15:43 am

In this paper i will be talking about my experiences with math. I will discuss about my ups and downs,
my feelings about math and what i want to accomplish this year.

Throughout the middle school years, math has been one of my best subjects. I have always gotten good
grades in math and math and i believe that i catch up to new material quickly. On the other hand,
geometry is one of my weaknesses but with some practice i think i can master it.

Overall i like math as a subject and like i mentioned before I've had a good experience with it
throughout my years in school. All my previous teachers were great and knew how to break down the
material so it didn't take me long to understand the units.

My expectations this year are to continue getting good grades in math and study harder so i can do well
on tests and quiz's. I will do my best to maintain a good grade throughout the entire school year.

Reply

Vincenzo Acquaviva9/9/2012 11:32:00 am

In this essay i will discuss my strong points and weak points in math, how I feel about math, and my
goals for math this year.

One thing I am strong with in math is decimals. I have always found decimals to be the easiest thing for
me to do in math, since i find it very simple to remember decimal rules. My weakest math skill would
have to be fractions. This is because fractions always confuse me and I can never remember anything
about them.

I feel that math is a necessary thing to learn. This is because it has so many uses in life. While math may
not be my favorite subject, I still try my hardest with it and I don't necessarily dislike it.
This year I hope to maintain an A average in math. I will also try to study more for tests.

Reply

Kaylah Tucker9/9/2012 11:41:24 am

Kaylah Tucker

9/7/12

Math Essay

Math can be very tricky for some people, easily making it their least favorite subject. For me, it's
different. I have always loved math, even when it is challenging. For my essay, I will write about whether
or not I consider myself good at math, my good and bad experiences in math, and what I hope to
accomplish this year in math class.

Usually Math is the first homework I work on. I guess the reason I do that is because I love math and
because I think I am a pretty decent math student. I usually I know what to do. I especially like doing
Algebra because it is filled with proportions and multiplication. Those are my favorite areas in math. I
guess I started loving math when I was in elementary school. I was great, and some students in my class
were really good too, so there was always a little competition. We would always get multiplication
sheets and I was always finishing them quickly, along with some of the other proficient math students.
In a way, those kind of competitions were fantastic for me. I was motivated to do well on them. The
students also pushed me to be great even if they didn't realize it.

When I got to middle school, the math got harder and I began to slack off a bit. I was frustrated because
it wasn't as easy as it used to be, especially in seventh grade (my teacher at that time explained things
and moved on to different areas very quickly, so I guess I couldn't really understand some of the topics).
I have problems with probability and word problems (I still need a little help with those topics). Anyhow,
I had an excellent teacher in 8th grade. She explained the topics at an understandable pace and I really
did well in that class. The grade on my report card was much better, and I did very well on the state test.
I was really proud of that.

What I hope to accomplish this year in math is that I continue to improve like I did in 8th grade. I know I
will ask for help if I need it instead of acting like I know what I am doing (in seventh grade, that was a
really big problem). Math was and still is my favorite subject. I hope I will have only good experiences in
9th grade!

Reply

Kaya Youmans9/9/2012 11:56:50 am

Ever since i was in grade school math has been my favorite subject i think that it had to do with the
challenges that it posed on me because i like to take on challenges. In this essay i will be describing my
highs and lows with math over the past 9 years.

The highs of my math career is when i achieved the highest score i have ever gotten which was a 90.
think that i received this grade because my motivation level was higher then ever before. i was excited
to go to math and do work and participate. My math teacher also helped me become more motivated
because she taught math in a way that i could relate to. This was in my 8th grade year of middle school,
this was the year that i achieved the highest grades that i have ever scored in my whole math career.

Some of my lows points in math happened during 6th grade when i received a 50 as a finally grade in
math this was an awful time in my life because i was disappointed in me and so was my mother. I
believe that i wasn't used to the teaching curricular at my school therefore i tended to fall behind, but i
decided to get a tutor to help me with my math struggles.

I think that i will have a good experiences in Algerbra 1 because i can now easily adapt to new learning
style being as though i am older and know a lot more about math than i did in 6th grade.

Reply

Timmy Chan9/9/2012 11:58:58 am

I have always consider myself to be okay at math, but a flaw I have at math is that I rush through work
and tests and due to that, I make careless mistakes.

A good experience I've had with math is just always doing well in math and getting good grades on tests.
Another good experience is when I got a good grade on the SHSAT, but a bad experience is I didn't get a
well enough grade to get into any specialized high schools.

Getting bad grades is always a bad experience because its a bad grade and i feel really bad that I didn't
study hard enough or I slacked off.

I hope to get a better or same grade as I did last year in math. I would also like to accomplish getting into
a class next year. I also want to break the habit of procrastinating and being lazy.

Reply
Marcos Gabriel Quinones9/9/2012 02:32:38 pm

In this essay I will be expressing some feeling about my math skills and experiences over my years of
schooling. I will also be expressing examples of some good and bad experiences I have had in my math
classes over the years. [But won't state any government official names of horrible teachers like
Mrs.Deonarine asked.]

I feel as if my math skills are not at full potential, because sometimes I will not understand strategies,
and often I can't even remember formulas because of how long some are. For example sometimes I get
area, and volume formulas mixed up with each other. In contrast however, when I understand
something and catch on quickly with a thorough break down of everything I become a superb student,
and actually want to participate instead of feeling like I can't. I am also a visual and hands on learner
they go hand to hand with one another in giving me a better understanding of whats being taught to
me. You can't just make me do the work without showing me how and you can't just show me how and
not let me try it out and get comfortable.

Some bad experiences I have faced in math all occurred in middle school and it wasn't any of my
teachers faults either so I can't even sit here and pretend like it was and bad mouth them. To be honest I
didn't really try, because I either wasn't in school because I was sick, or completely didn't understand
anything because I wasn't in school for vital classes to certain units. For examples two years back, we
had a geometry unit and I got severely sick, to the point of having constant hospital visits, so I missed
the introduction class which was always a full period of thorough explaining of what was gonna be
taught. I missed three days and fell completely behind dropping my grade from an 87 to about a 72. I
lost hope, and dropped even further into doodoo, because of stupid mistakes I made in work habits and
in school mindset.

I want to improve my understanding of certain subjects in math such as geometry, and I want to work
on memorizing formulas, and definitions of certain math terms and words. I would also like to improve
on focus by removing myself from the few close friends I have in my class and not talking to anyone
distracting... And I will try not to distract myself in the process.

Reply

Logan McIntyre9/10/2012 01:26:53 pm

In this paper i will be talking about my experiences with math. I will discuss about my ups and downs,
my feelings towards math and what i wish to accomplish this year.

Throughout the middle school years, math has been one of my best subjects. I have always gotten good
grades in math. I have been able to grasp new material quite easly. I do have some problems when I feel
like I am being rushed to finish.

Overall i don't care for math as a subject although I've had a good experience with it throughout my
years in school. All my previous teachers taught me well but i never had an good feeling towards math.
My expectations this year are to continue getting good grades in math and I want to focus on being able
to do the math quicly but correctly. I will do my best to maintain a good grade throughout the entire
school year.

Reply

jamellee9/10/2012 11:24:09 pm

I think that I have a good experience with math because I'm good at it. when i do math i take my time
and check over my work at the end. I say I am good at math because i am one of the first 3 people to be
finished in class like when we do a worksheet of have a quiz or test depending on the type of math we
are doing. Some math questions might be challenging to me ,but I still try my best to try and solve it.
When i think of math i think of mysteries and to me, i like to solve mysteries so i like to do math. I think
the highest grade I've got in math was a B. The reason i have got B's was because my math teachers
cared about my and wanted me to succeed. My main goal this year to get at least 1 A in math. I am
going to try my best by paying attention in class, doing my homework, doing my classwork, but mostly
by respecting the teachers because with out them, i won't be able to succeed in this class.

Reply

francisco leon9/10/2012 11:42:35 pm

I do not consider myself as a bad student in math because I'm not tha t good in math. In almost in all of
my state test I always got a 2 or a 3 and my mom tells me to always get a 4.iTS NEARLY Imposibe to get a
4 because you have to try hard and do everything i had bad and good expieiences in math a good
expirence in math was that in 7 grade i got a 3 in the math state exam i never believed that i was that
good in math a bad expiereince is that when the teacher called me to answer something i did not know
the answer so i just said random stuff. I hope i acomplish that i get a better in math and by better i mean
that i hope i get a better grade then i got in almost all the years i been in school and i hope that i pass
the grade because i was this close of not passing the 8 grade but since i got a good grade in the state
test i passed so this time i will contribute my self to do better in math and to pass the grade with good
grades.So when i leave the 9the grade i hope i feel confident about what i leaned in math.

Reply

Jiang Liulink9/7/2012 07:09:38 am

Math to me is an pretty easy subject. I consider myself good in math because I like it and understand it.
Math can help me with lot's of thing in my life, but one thing I hate is showing work. I hope to pay
attention more and don't fall asleep
Math is fun to me sometimes since I consider myself good at it. I found amaze I still got 85-90 even
though I don't do nothing in class. Math sometimes can be very boring. For example, shapes and
graphing I don't like because it's a lot of work and take more time to understand.

Math is very useful to me in real life. For example solving the sale price of an item without calculator or
being able to add prices of things up quickly. One thing that challenge me in math is showing my work. I
hate it so much that sometimes I just don't do it. Every math teacher always ask me to show my work
but it's just too much work. Like I got the answer already so why do I always have to show my work.

I would like to accomplish paying more attention. Usually in class I only listen to half of the class lesson.
For example if a unit takes 2 weeks to teach, I just listen some of the days and I get it. Things that make
me very bored and annoyed is graph and shape.

Reply

Cindy Lian9/7/2012 07:24:02 am

For my autobiography I will be writing about my math experiences. I will talk about what I think about
math, my good and bad times. I will also talk about what I expect of myself this year.

I have never really liked math before and I am horrible at it. I consider myself horrible at math because I
usually don't listen or take notes. When I hear the teacher keep talking and writing notes I find my mind
wondering off and not taking notes.I usually got a math problem wrong or not be able to solve it.

My good experience with math is that I understand a little bit. My bad experience is that most of the
time I don't understand math. I have never received an A on math. I have always been one of the worse
or worse person I know in math.

This year in math I hope to do a lot better. I hope to get at least a 80 . I hope to be able to learn what I
need to learn in order to be able to do well. I hope to learn to like math.

Reply

Yosrick Alvarez Avalos9/7/2012 07:30:55 am

In this paper, I will describe and explain how I would categorize myself as a mathmation, by answering
the following questions Do you consider yourself to be good or bad at math? What have been your good
and bad experiences with math? What do you hope to accomplish this year in your math class?
I would consider myself to be ok, because I know that I have some strengths and weakness in math
class. Somethings are hard for me to understand because its not one of my strong points in math, but in
the other hand there could be some problems that I am good at solving.

Some good experiences I have had in math class is when I study really good for a test, I get a good score.
Which shows how well I studied for the test. It feels good when you do a good job on a test, because of
all the studying you do. Some bad experiences I have had is when I don't understand something the
teacher explained and I stay quiet it doesn't benefit for me, cause then I do bad on that type of problem.

What I would like to accomplish this year in math is understanding problems better and if I don't
understand something I speak up and ask the teacher for help, for homework, classwork, etc. I would
also like to get good grades, 95 or higher.

I hope this year is fun in math and learn a lot from peers and the teacher. Hope to have a lot of fun and
interesting projects and learn to become a better math student. I would also like to learn more
strategies and tips in becoming a better student for this year and in the future.

Reply

Chloe Smith9/7/2012 09:38:40 am

From past experiences I have been okay in math. I wouldn’t really call myself a wiz but I do alright. I
consider myself good at math but not great. There have been many good/bad experiences in math such
as doing badly on a test and doing exemplary on a test. There are also many things I hope to accomplish
in my school year such as getting 90’s and above.

To be truthful I consider myself bad at math for many reasons. I tend to give up when I don’t get a unit
or subject. I ask for help but sometimes I still don’t get. That’s why I hope to be good at math this year. I
try my best and it pays off sometimes at the end.

I have had many experiences in math, some good and some bad. One good experience was when there
was a big test coming up and I had studied the night before. When I got back my test I got a 98%. I was
so proud of myself for studying the night before. One bad experience was when I was struggling on a
unit and we also had a big test and I got a really low grade on it which taught me to study more.

There are many things that I hope to accomplish in this upcoming year such as getting 90’s and above. I
hope to do very well in homework and put forth lots of effort in all the work that I do. I hope this year
challenges me and teaches me a lot more.

Reply

Becky Chan9/7/2012 09:47:38 am

I've had bad and good times with math. I hope that I will learn more about math through out this year.
I wouldn't say I hate math, I tried my best in learning the concept of it. In one of the years at my middle
school, I couldn't learn as well. Last year in eighth grade, I had a good teacher that taught me really well
and I started to like math more. By the way she taught me and my classmates that I had at the table,
they gave me even more help. When i'm in that class, I felt eager the learn.

This year I expect myself to learn how to do math and remember the steps on figuring out the problem.
At sixth grade I didn't do well on a test because I didn't really know how to do the math. Unlike my
eighth grade teacher, she didn't explain the steps in detail. For me, that's how I learn math better. I
expect myself to do good on tests and get a high grade that my parents will be proud of me.

I'm not a person that likes to study, so I like to learn the math and just review it. I hope this year I will
learn and do great in math. I will do my best.

Reply

Jasmine.Rivera9/7/2012 11:59:34 am

September 7, 2012 Math Autobiography

1} For math I will consider myself to be bad at it. I say this because for me, math and I don't get alone
too well. I'm not good in math because I'm a slow learner in math . For example I can be studying math
for 3 hours and the next day, I will sometimes forget what I learn or what I have to do to solve the math
problem.But there are times when I will do great or there will be times I do okay in math.

2} My bad experiences I had in math, was once getting half the grade in one of the mini test I had in
math class, the worst part about it was that I knew how to solve it. It was just that one time that it
happen to me and I thought that I would do really great on it.

3} What I hope to accomplish this year in math is to be able to get great grades and not be able to forget
what I study or learn.I hope I can accomplish these two things because I am tired of not understanding
any of the math problem, not knowing what to do, and not getting really great grades in math.

Ms.Deonarine I am begging your help here, to help me to accomplish my two goals.

Reply

Anastasia Krasilnikova9/8/2012 12:21:33 am

I consider myself good at math. However i do not have that math "nature", I cannot solve very hard
problems, I cannot think how this formula relates to that problem. But i am trying to learn and if i need
help i always seek for it. I think willingness to learn is important as well as knowledge.

When i was living in my country i had the best math teacher ever. He could explain everything in math.
However i was too busy to understand it. Only when I moved to NYC and met my new math teacher, it
was his first year of teaching, i understood how good my old teacher was. I mean Mr. Bhau was trying to
explain math problems and I am sure he knows how to solve them but none of us could understand
anything. I took charge of this situation and asked my sister for help. Only thanks to her I passed all my
math tests.

I hope to learn many new things and do not forget what i already learned during this school year. I hope
to get good grades and experience how easy math is because i am sure if the teacher is great and the
student is listening to him/her they could reach any goal. Also i hope you, Ms. Deonarine will help me to
accomplish these goals.

Reply

Elena Clemente9/8/2012 01:51:09 am

I don'd consider math my best subject and have always struggled with it. All the numbers confuse me
and tend to get mixed up in my head so i make little computation errors that mess up my whole
problem.

One of my good experiences was in 6th grade when i learned fractions. I love fractions because they are
really straightforward and there isn't so many big numbers that get mixed up. that year i also learned
how to use a bar chart to solve rate and ratio problems that i still use now in 9th grade.

My worst experience in math was in 7th grade when i started early geometry. Geometry is really
confusing because of all the different formulas for different shapes, so sometimes i end up using a
triangle formula for a square.

In this class i want to become stronger in my understanding of numbers and more disciplined and
focused in class so i make less computation errors and get better grades.

Reply

Grace Barstow-Christopher9/8/2012 01:57:15 am

I am ok at math, I have always struggled with the basics like multiplication tables but do really well with
formulas, just as long as I can remember them. I do best in algebra I would say.

When I was in elementary school I struggled a lot with multiplication, I was always the last to finish a
test and got one of the lowest grades on them. Now I am doing a lot better with them, it just took time
and practice. With the right amount of study and some time I am able to grasp any math subject.
Although if I am pushed too far too quickly I get overwhelmed and give up.

I want learn how to study more effectively this year in math, I think then I would be able to learn more
and learn faster. I also hope that this would help me retain the information for a longer period of time. I
would like to get an A in math class this year, preferably above a 95, but an A will do if that is not
possible. I want to be able to speak up more and ask more questions. Those are my main goals, I hope
that achieving these will help smooth out the wrinkles in my relationship with math.

Reply

Sincere (Noah) Davis9/8/2012 03:19:22 am

I do consider myself good at math, last year i took 9th grade integrated algebra. I also have gotten 4's on
all of my State Math Tests. It never been really a challenge for me all i have to do is pay attention and its
really easy.

One of my bad experiences was failing regents. I do think I could have done better because i failed by 2
points which is really disappointing. One of my good experiences was being but in an advance math class
in 7th grade.

This year what i want to accomplish is to score highest on tests and do my absolute best on home and
classwork.I'd admit i do get lazy once i get comfortable in the school but i'll try to work on that because i
want to get into a good college.

Reply

Jia Min Liu9/8/2012 03:42:29 am

Math is one of my favorite subjects and so is art, they both are equal to me. So I don't favor which one is
my "top subject". I never have struggles with art, but just a teeny-tiny bit of the time, I make mistakes
on difficult math problems that I don't understand. I find myself mostly good at math, but not like really
good at it. I am not one of those math genius, but I am willing to learn from my mistakes so next time I'll
get a one and two zeroes.

I consider myself good at math, because I have all 90's and above in middle school, but I don't
remember about elementary school. Since the grading is different, but it is good as well. I am mostly
confident with math than other subjects, besides art, since I am good at it.
My good experiment with math is that I exceed math topics I am good at. Such as equations,
expressions, graphing, absolute value, and etc. My bad experiment is when I make small or silly
mistakes. However, I end up fixing them up myself sometimes, when I recheck my work.

I hope to accomplish this year in math class a one and two zeroes (repeated again, I know). That is
because, it is like a wanted item that I need to have. The thing is that I know it is going to be tough,
because there can be a point in my life that I will make a mistake. Which can effect my grade, so I'll be
more than ready to get a good grade.

Reply

Raisa Talal9/8/2012 04:09:42 am

Hi Mrs. Deonarine, I here write before you in this assignment about my mathematics backgrounds. I will
talk/inform you, regarding how I consider myself to be good or bad at math, what has been my good
and bad experiences with math, and mostly what i hope to accomplish this year in my math class.

To be honest i used to hate math, but i thought to myself "i don't have to hate math entirely because
there are different areas in math that I can actually enjoy!" some areas in math I like are;
variables,area,percent,square roots,exponents,integers,decimals, formulas and pythagorean theorem.

I consider myself to neutrally be good and bad at math. It sometimes depends on how I really motivate
myself to understand the subject/topic, or sometimes how the teacher is teaching the subject/topic.
When it comes to math I am mostly a visual learner, it is a must that I should be taught in this learning
style, especially in math! I learn better this way :). Now if it was just by talking and listening I wouldn't
understand the topic as much.

Here are my bad and good experience of math. My bad experience of math is when I can't solve a
problem and usually I just would give up on the problem instead of asking for continuous help. Or
sometimes I would get a little frustrated. Also I try thinking about the problem deeply but sometimes I
just won't get it!

My good experience of math is when I understand the topic that the teacher is teaching me in math. I
would feel gratitude and feel intelligent/confident in what Im doing in the subject.

What I hope to accomplish this year in my math class is to gain a 90 or higher grade-percent in math
than any other subject. I would be so content and proud of myself because this was the subject that I
struggled with the most,and knowing that I Aced it is a great accomplishment ! :)

Reply

Kayla Malcolm9/8/2012 04:29:25 am

In this essay, I will be talking about my feelings and thoughts about math. I will discuss why I consider
myself to be good at math, my ups and downs with math, and what I hope to accomplish my 9th grade
year in math.

I consider myself to be good when it comes to math because for the most part, I’ve always gotten good
grades in math. For me, math lessons came easily. I passed my tests easily with 90’s without even
studying. Also, I took initiative to help my classmates with their work when I finished mine early, and I
even tutored some of the younger students at my school during my lunch breaks.

My bad experience with math was pretty much my entire 8th grade year. I was placed in advanced math
because of the fact that I scored a level 4 on my 7th grade state tests. Suddenly, the lessons were no
longer coming easily for me and I began failing all my quizzes and tests. This was my first time ever
failing math, let alone failing any of my classes. I went from an A student, to a D and F student. No
matter how long I studied or how hard I tried, I still wasn’t making the grade and just barely passed.
Even though I’ve had some bad experiences with math, I’ve also had good experiences with math. My
7th grade year, I was the only student out of everyone in my school to score a level 4 on the state math
test.

Lastly, this year in math class, I strive to become a top student again. I will settle for nothing less than a
90% on every assignment, and will try out new efficient study habits. I will be more studious, and will
pay more attention to the lessons. These isn’t just talk, these are promises that I am making to myself,
and promises I am going to keep.

Reply

Layla Diaz9/8/2012 05:26:06 am

Layla Diaz

Sep. 8th 2012

Math H.W Essay.

In this paper I will explain why I think I am bad at math, I will also explain my good and bad experiences
with math. Then I will discuss what I wish to accomplish this year as a math student.

I think I am bad at math. I think this because of my grades in previous math classes. My math grades
have never been my highest or the best. I have always struggled with remembering different formulas
and the steps in which you go about solving a problem. Sometimes in math class I will begin to
understand something and then the class will switch to learning something different or a different
strategy and I find myself to be lost yet again.

I remember in 7th grade we would be called on even if our hands weren’t raised. I do not like speaking
to the class or even a group. Being called on would make me shy and doubt myself. This made me want
to give up, especially when I got the answer wrong. That is one of my bad math experiences. I guess a
good math experience would be when I understand the math enough to be given a bunch of different
math problems. For example when I would get a quiz and it was set up with multiplication and division
scattered all over the page and I was able to follow through without getting confused. Being able to
remember different formulas and having tricks in my head to help me remember how to solve the
problems would be a great help. Especially for algebra. Algebra is something I struggle with.

In math I have always found myself lost. I don’t want to be lost anymore. I want to be less shy and more
confident. I want to be able to do my work and understand it the next day. I want to hand my work in on
time. I think what would help me is if I was helped by Mr. Sing or Mrs. Casteen. They could both help me
with the organization of my notebook. All of these things may seems like they should already be
perfected but for me they aren’t. I have handed in late work which is not acceptable and I have handed
in work that I have understood for only that day and then forgotten. This year is not about a number
grade for me. It is about understanding the work and feeling confident.

Reply

Mandy Lau9/8/2012 07:11:07 am

Math is by far my favorite subject but it's not my strongest. I consider myself to struggle sometimes but I
will pull through or work through. Even though my answers aren't right sometimes at least I gave it a try.
I'm hoping I will try harder to get my grades up this year it's very important to me. Especially this year.

One of my bad experiences in math was when one time I tried really hard on this project and I got a AS
in my school that means Approaching Standards and that was a bad thing. It was basically a 2. But thank
god that was a draft project my teacher was checking on. This leads to my good experience in math was
when after I got that bad result I seek for help and it payed off. I got an ES in my math

project. It means Exceed Standards, also known as a 4. It payed off.

This year I hope to accomplish to get at least 85 and above in math test or scores. Any scores in math. I
also want to work on participating in class more cause I know I'm shy but I'm willing to try more this
year.

Reply

Matthew Chun9/8/2012 07:21:34 am

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being bad and 10 being great, I'd rate myself an 9 at math. I feel that math has
been one of my strongest subjects throughout my life. I've had over 90 for my math averages. There are
a few things I need to work on however.

My strengths in math are doing quick calculations and learning new formulas pretty quickly. In
elementary school, my parents tried to get me to memorize the multiplication table, which at first I
hated, but now I praise my parents for. Sometimes, I even enjoyed answering quick math problems
(such as 9x7) in school because I knew the answers right away. When teachers teach a new formula to
me, I usually get it pretty fast unless I'm not paying attention at the moment in class.

My weaknesses in math are Geometry, word problems, and sometimes, I get mental blocks that
occasionally keep me from doing really easy problems even though I know how to do them. I think part
of the reason I'm not good at word problems is because my old schools didn't really emphasize on them.
This year in math, I hope to learn new formulas that will help me do problems easier and apply my math
skills in places other than school. I’m looking forward to an exciting and successful math class.

Reply

Angella Romero9/8/2012 08:50:42 am

Math is a subject that many people either excel or struggle on. People either are good at it or bad at it.
They have their good experiences in math. While, at the same time there are bad experiences in math.
Due to these good or bad experiences you want to accomplish something for math. To accomplish
something you are bad at or just to improve even more at math.

I consider myself good at math. I think I'm good at math because I usually always get grades of high 80's
and sometimes 90's. Math isn't a subject I have ever really had a big struggle in. I usually always enjoy
math and find it fun. I rarely have trouble with math so it makes as one of my favorite subjects.

I've had an amazing math teacher last year in the eighth grade that could get me to understand
anything. It wasn't a problem for me to understand a topic. He taught really well and I had a blast
learning math with him. My bad experience with math was in the sixth grade because my teacher wasn't
good. All the concepts that we were supposed to fully understand and learn, we never got the chance.
So, I barely remember anything that was taught in the sixth grade; meaning I take a bit of time doing
some work requiring to remember sixth grade work.

What I hope to accomplish this year in math class, is to fully understand every topic that we are being
taught. This way, I will not struggle later on as math gets harder because I didn't understand a topic
now. I also hope to pay attention because if I'm not taught in an interesting way, I lose my focus and end
up not knowing what we have been taught. I also hope to get high grades and keep up with the high
80's.

Reply

Emily Cheung9/8/2012 09:40:10 am

For my autobiography I will be talking about how I do in math. My favorite subjects out of all 4 subjects
is math. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. I would give myself a 8. My average
and grades were over a 90.

My weakness in math is I don't remember all the converting units and when we have to convert units I
always forget it. Another weakness I have is when I do not have the formula in front of me I will forget
how you do it sometimes.Like sometimes when I have to find the sales tax and unit price or something
like that, I will get mix up if it is dividing or multiplying or the steps of doing it. But when you have the
formula, I will know how you do it.

My strength in math is algebra. Like when you have to determine what the number is or solving the
algebra. My other strength is finding angles and solving equations.
This year I hope to accomplish some stuff in math. Like getting higher grades in math then the year
before. Also trying to remember the formulas and not getting the formulas mix up. Try to get every
single question right. Also trying to get 100s in math tests, quiz, and other work

Reply

Gabriel Esclozas9/8/2012 10:06:14 am

Since my 1st grade I was passionate about math. But, when I say math, I mostly mean Algebra, because
Algebra is just numbers and I like it but geometry is mostly about explaining our reasoning in sentence,
learn definition and stuff. Math is simple because it’s universal so you can travel around the world and
still find the same operation.

I like math because I have some facilities. Last quarter of last year, I got very good grades and I want to
continue like this. Also because math can be a funny way to challenge someone.

I like Math because it’s very useful in informatics to create applications on computer.

My worst math experience is when I start a new topic, I’m always lost. Then, when it comes to
Geometry, it’s like the world’s upside down because I need to work to understand the operation. My
good experience in math was when I discovered that we could use a calculator in class :), it became
faster and easier.

My first expectation of the year is just to understand what the teacher is saying when she talks about
Geometry. Then, the second is to have good grades like everyone and to use what I learn this year next
year.

Reply

Nhajee Sanoh-Monroe9/8/2012 12:09:45 pm

In this essay I will be talking about How I would consider myself when it comes to math, my strengths
and weaknesses in math, and what I want to accomplish this year in math class.

If I were to consider myself good or bad at math I would be in the middle. If I were to consider myself
good or bad at math I would be in the middle because, there might be times where I am totally confused
with something. When, other times I may think its very easy. For example, its easy to evaluate and solve
problems and more but, its hard when using fractions in word problems and more.
I would need help when it comes to knowing my weaknesses and strengths in math because I really
don't remember things from last year. But, I do know that i am not very good at math when it comes to
learning math at this school. In the sixth grade at went to a school named Ross Global Academy. I barely
got taught any math and science (had the same teacher for both classes), and I had substitutes since the
being of the year for history or social studies, whatever you may call it. I had substitutes for that class
because the teacher got into a accident and was not able to go back and work at the school. That's part
of why I came to School of the Future in the seventh grade. The school got closed down and now Girl's
Prep. So, I will need help.

I hope to that I get high grades for the class and really understand the work. It would make my family
and I very happy and proud. I hope to have a good experience in your class. And, I hope to have a good
time. This was my essay.

Reply

Alena Berry9/8/2012 12:17:06 pm

Alena Berry

September 8, 2012

9th grade math

In this essay, I will talk about different aspects of math. I consider myself to be in between good and bad
at this subject. The way I preform is completely dependent on the unit I’m learning. I can do exceedingly
well on one part, and the next do miserably. Over the past year, I have grown a lot in math.

My worst experience would have been learning how to divide and multiply fractional expressions in
eighth grade. It was pretty straight forward at the beginning, but as the expressions grew more difficult,
I found myself struggling. Fractions were confusing enough on their own. I also hated whenever we did a
unit on word problems, I feel like the words get me even more confused.

My best experience was learning to use the graphing calculator last year. Once I started getting the hang
of it, I liked it. It was better than solving all of the linear equations and graphing them by hand.

I hope to accomplish getting better grades in math. In addition to that, I hope to be able to grasp the
lessons better than I have in the past few years. If I get confused by anything I hope I will be able to ask
for help.

Reply

Andrew Yutsis9/8/2012 12:29:10 pm

September 8, 2012
Math to me, is simply a puzzle. The only problem is remembering the rules. There is always an answer to
math and to me, the best way to become a successful mathematician, is to construct and support a solid
foundation with the basics.

As a student math has never been a struggle for me. It was always English that got the best of me. My
good roots with math started in the fifth grade. My father had taught me algebra and had formed a solid
foundation for years to come. It was only until seventh grade, that I finally began seeing algebra in
school.

From the first grade to the eighth, everything you learn is built up to algebra. From adding and
subtracting, multiplying and dividing, and even positives and negatives. Furthermore, when I see
geometry, trig for example, I begin to become confused. I don't want to use long formulas that are
impossible to remember. I want rules, that need to be followed to lead you to a result. Algebra.

Besides geometry, this year in math i would like to improve my skills all around. I'd like to become
successful at math in general. With hard work and dedication, i am looking forward to seeing this all
happen.

Best Regards,

Andrew Yutsis

Reply

Michelle Lisboa9/8/2012 01:34:19 pm

9/8/2012 My Math Autobiography

I have always had an interest in math. Math is my strongest subject and I like learning about math and
solving problems. I find some topics in math easy, especially when using formulas, considering that
there's one right problem. Thats the thing that makes math different from science or humanities. Other
subjects have multiple differernt answers, whereas math only has one right answer which is why i like
math so much. Whenever I am trying to figure out a problem I always think of myself as a detective
searching for all the clues and trying to figure out the right answer. I personally think i am pretty good at
math, but I do have some bad experiences involving math. I have many goals to accomplish this year in
SOF, and I will push myself as hard as I can to acheive them.
I consider myself to be good at math. I believe I am good at math because I care much about my work
and I check to make sure I have done my best effort whenever math is involved. I always follow
directions when it comes to applying formulas and I know many math strategies. I also have a tendency
to remember math strategies and important formulas which is good for math problems because they
can help me get answers. Furthermore, I am very good at comprehending new things in math in a small
amount of time, especially when it comes to simplifying, trig, and percentages because I really like doing
those types of problems.

I usually have good experiences with math where I understand the topic I am learning about, but
sometimes that might not always be the case. Sometimes I can have bad experiences with math where I
find it difficult to do a type of problem and it takes me longer to finally be able to do the problem on my
own. Some problems that I often get stuck on are permutations/combinations and probability.
Something about those type of problems just really confuse me.For example, sometimes I'm not sure if
a problem is either a permutation or a combination and probability can really screw me up because it
can get very confusing. Overall, not all my experiences in math can be fabulous, but i try my best to
understand it.

This year in math class I hope to learn new things in math that I hopefully enjoy and not find too
challenging. I want to earn fantastic grades and be successful with my studies and hard work. My goals
are to become a better mathematician and to do all my math work with the my best effort.

Reply

Brittany Rodriguez9/9/2012 01:22:18 am

Brittany Rodriguez

September 9th 2012

Math Essay.

Math is one of my favorite subjects in school to study. I have had good experiences and bad
experiences. In this essay I will elaborate and explain experiences that I've had that has made me a
better mathematician.

I think I'm good at math. Some of my qualities in math is being able to understand things quickly. I can
make connections to things I've learned in the past and I can create shortcuts to get the same exact
answer but just a bit quicker. Some of my flaws in math are not being able to speak up when I need
help. If I don’t understand something I feel troubled in asking for help because I don’t want to sound
stupid or hold up the class in any way. I also have a very short attention span, I could be on a roll and
understanding everything perfectly until one little thing catches my eye and I am gone. I also forget
things after a while if we don't use it. For example, if we learn about opposites and balance in the
beginning of the year and we don't have any use of it over the year by the end of the year I'm not going
to remember it at all.
My worst experience in math was failing in the 8th grade. I wasn't paying attention or doing my work
and I didn't think it would affect me that bad but when I saw my report card I broke down. After that day
I went to my teacher and asked what my real grade was. if you have a 65 or lower it just averages out to
a 65% but I wanted to know what my real grade was. I hoped it was a 64% or a 65% but it wasn’t even
close. It was a 40%. I was so determined to at least pull my grade up to a 66% so I wasn't failing and that
already would be approving 26 points which seemed a bit impossible to my teachers. I stood afterschool
as often as the teacher was available. Within two weeks my grade bumped up to a 75%. that’s 35 points
higher than my grade and 9 points higher than my expectations for a whole marking period. It was one
of the most amazing achievements in my whole entire life. I will never forget the feeling of logging into
my engrade and seeing such an amazing grade. From being way below failing to not even being in
danger of failing.

I have really high expectations for myself this year. I feel like if I was able to pull off such a crazy change
last year then I am available to do way more. I have a goal to achieve higher than a 85% and I plan to
drop by your room at least once a week to make sure I'm succeeding in your class and to see if there are
any suggestions for me. Another goal I have is to be on point through the whole 55 minutes of class and
not have anything distracting me.

Reply

Summer Rowland9/9/2012 01:55:04 am

In the past I have had good and bad experiences with math. I am okay with math but I wouldn't call
myself a genius. My good experiences with math are doing fabulous on a test because from studying
and doing terrible on a test because of my lack of effort to try. With a new school year and new lessons I
expect myself to get 85 or above with the help from my peers and teachers.

I don't consider myself as being a bad mathematician but I do tend to not try. When I am taught a new
lesson and don't fully understand it right away I sometimes get frustrated and don't try my hardest. I do
ask for help sometimes but still won't understand it. This year I want to fully understand every lesson by
asking the teacher for help.

My bad experience with math is with a end of the lesson test where I thought I new everything, but
when I go the test I ended up knowing almost nothing because i didn't fully understand everything. My
good experience with math is getting a very high grade on a math test. I got this high grade form
studying hard and asking for help. Now I know the value of Studying.

With in the upcoming year I hope to accomplish all of my goals and get 85's and above. I hope that I can
show you all of my skills in Math and weaknesses so I can get better. I hope that this year will challenge
me and give me stronger math skills.

Reply
Ellen Sekhniashvili9/9/2012 02:14:05 am

I consider myself to be fairly good at math. I understand most of the work and concepts that is put into
algebra. I can comprehend easily and learn easily. I work really hard to understand the work and I
believe I can easily get over a 90.

My bad experience with math was when I went into the eighth grade. I had the sweetest teacher but he
used to be an engineer who worked at Exon. He was also a college professor and a very intelligent man.
But everyday we would have a new lesson, by the middle of the year we were already in Algebra 3 going
onto Trig. The class moved way too fast for me to have time to understand and we had a six page test
almost every week on the topics that we covered. It was rough and I got lower grades.

This year, I want to work and study harder to get above a 95 average and to understand more material
and concepts that math offers.

Reply

Emma Todd9/9/2012 02:16:00 am

I would not consider myself to be a great math student. I have always struggled with math, the numbers
always confuse me and I always make one mistake that will mess up the whole problem.

A good math experience of mine would be in 3rd grade i learned multiplication and long division.
Multiplication and division come very easily to me, the concept is simple and very helpful.

My worst math experience was last year when I took Algebra 1, I was too stubborn to let my mom help
me and I did not understand anything.

This year I hope to understand math and become more confident in my math skills. I hope to learn new
things and not forget them and the year goes on, I also hope to make good grades this year.

Reply

Jamie Goldenberg9/9/2012 02:22:01 am

In this essay I will talk about whether I think I am good or bad in math, my good and bad experiences in
math, and what I hope to accomplish this year in math.
I consider myself to be between good and bad at math because it depends on what we are learning.
Sometimes I will understand the concept right away and while other times I will be very confused and
not understand what is going on and why I am solving it the way it has to be solved.

A good experience that I have had was last year when I did not really understand how to apply quadratic
equations to real life situations and then I finally understood how to and my grade started to get higher.
A bad experience I have had with math is that last year I got a lot of 85's and I hope to get higher this
year.

This year in math class I hope to accomplish getting 90's, doing very well on tests, study more so that
when a test comes I know I fully understand what is going on. Also if I am confused I will get help so that
my grade does not go down and I understand what is going on.

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Nora Carden9/9/2012 02:47:10 am

In this essay, I'll talk about my experiences with math, good and bad, how I consider myself in math, and
my goals for math throughout my years of being in school.

I think I would consider myself to be pretty good at math, math has always been my favorite subject
since 6th grade and I think it's easy to understand. It's not like other subjects where you have to
memorize facts and dates you just learn how to do it.

When I was in 5th grade I had a really bad math teacher. He joked around too much and then gave us
really hard tests and quizzes. The next year in 6th grade I loved math and my math teacher. Every year
since then math has been my favorite subject. In 7th grade I took pre-algebra and since I moved to
public schools the year after I took pre-algebra again. I didn't mind because I liked it and it seemed like it
was some different stuff.

I hope to get good grades this year. I also want to know to always speak up and ask questions when I'm
lost because you can get really lost and fall behind if you don't ask for help when you need it.

Reply

Nilou Mahboubian9/9/2012 02:47:18 am

In this essay, I will write about whether I consider myself to be good or bad at math, some good and bad
math experiences, and what I hope to accomplish this year in math class.
I consider myself to be good at math, for the most part. Math has always come pretty easily to me,
especially algebra. I usually understand new strategies as soon as they taught to me and I'm able to
apply them to other problems. Because i find math easier than some of my other subjects, I always end
up doing my math homework first, which is a good thing for math, but not always for other subjects
because then I get distracted and don't always finish the homework for those classes. Although I like
algebra, I have never been great at Geometry. I feel like there are too many formulas to remember and
it just gets confusing to me. Even though I find geometry difficult; I am confident that I will be able to get
through it.

One bad math experience that I have had was at the end of last year. I was struggling with keeping my
grades up in humanities and putting all my effort into that class and my math got pushed to the side. I
started slacking off in math, which ended up bringing my grade in math down too.

A good math experience for me is that whenever I work hard on a math project, homework, test, etc., I
get a grade that really reflects all of the hard work that I put into it.

This year in math, I hope to be able to get all As. This will bring me back up the top student that I used to
be and motivate me to do well in all of my other classes as well.

Reply

Nikki Lee Wade9/9/2012 03:04:55 am

Nikki Lee Wade - My Math Autobiography

I have never considered math as my strongest subject in school. It was never the class I got the highest
grades in. To me, it was one of those classes that was just a part of school and my education, where I
just had to push through it, weather I liked it or not.

I never really had a strong liking in math and not ever did I look forward to math class or the homework.
When I was younger, I did take tutoring classes for math, just to improve my math skills and I can say
that it helped. My feelings about math change a lot during the coure of a school year. There are times
where I've felt really confident in the work that was doing and other times where I just got lost in the
work.
Overall, I think that I am okay in math. I do have a strong foundation of the basics from my tutoring, but
that doesnt help me 100% of the time. I consider myself to be good at math only if I understand what
needs to be done. I like to see math as just multiple steps that happen in order, and not when there is
uncertainty about the answer. I guess I feel more confident where there is only one possible answer to a
problem instead of multiple answers or choices. If I know the exact steps in an equation to solve for the
answer, I can easily get the work done without breaking a sweat.

I only struggle when I dont know the way to solve a problem in those definite steps. Ive learned that I
always need like sort of a support system or directions that I can always fall back on when I need help. I
also struggle when I cant understand what an equation means or what specific parts of an equation
represent. This is when I can get confused from the start, and just make my way through the problem,
completely unsure of what Im doing.

In the past, I have aced quizzes with extra points and I have also nearly failed them. I know that my mind
wanders in the most important times of class and that I often need like reminders to snap myself back
into reality. I also know from experience that if I sit in the back of the classroom with my friends that I
will mostly get distracted and end up talking with them; but when I sit in the front with the kids that are
always on taks, I become on task as well and I do so much better not in just math class but in all of my
classes. All i need to excell in math is a clear understanding of the content we are learning about, along
with knowing how to solve any problem given, and a focused mindset that doesnt get distracted. That
way, I can feel more confident in my work and less unsure about myself.

This year in 9th grade math, I want my grades not only to be in the 90's, but to stay there consistantly.
Last year, My grades in math were like riding on a rollercoaster. I went from a low 70 in one semester
and literally shot up to the 90's the next semester. It was pretty crazy but this year, I want to keep my
grades consistantly high. I also want to improve on my attention span and my focus and learn to not get
distracted so easily. I want to say that I am good at math and that I have the work and grades to back
myself up. I want to have a great year in math class, as well as all of my other classes as well.

Reply

Jarrett Grosbardlink9/9/2012 03:06:59 am

In this essay I will be talking about my experiences in math good and bad and what I expect from myself
this year.

I consider myself pretty good at math since third grade. I would always answer questions as soon as they
where asked. I always looked forward to math class all throughout elementary and middle school.
My good experiences were all throughout elementary school were I got most of my good grades and in
middle school in 6th and 7th grade were I got 85 and higher but when I hit eighth grade that when I
started to only get 80's to 90's in math which really shocked me and got me thinking maybe I should
study more because I really didn't study a lot for math since I thought I was so good at it.

This coming school year I plan to make sure I study by myself or with friends because I know how hard
algebra is and I can't afford to get bad grades. I want to have at least three of my report cards to show
A's for my math grade and that is what I expect from myself this year in math.

Reply

Isobel Connelly9/9/2012 03:10:18 am

My Math Autobiography

Math has always been I tough subject for me, no lie, and I haven’t exactly liked math. But this year I
hope to turn things around, to be better, to accomplish more than I have in past years. As the preceding
paragraphs will tell you what I have done well with in math, what I have struggled with, and in more
detail what I would like to have done by the end of the year.

I have always struggled with math; it’s never been my strong suit, which has been difficult. Though I try
to make it easier by taking lots of notes and paying attention in class so when it comes down time to do
home work or a test, I’m not left staring at the page in confusion.

My experience with math is that I struggle to remember steps to breaking down equations, becoming
imitated by long or many numbers, and that when I try to use the knowledge I’ve learned in real life I get
confused and frustrated. Though putting all that aside I really do enjoy, more visual math, such as
geometry and graphing. I really like graphing become to me it makes sense, it logical, and it not just
numbers on a page. Its something I can grasp. With geometry, yet again its visual, and I like working with
shapes rather than numbers in an equation0.

This year I would really like to become better at math in all ways, to get and retain a higher grade. But
more specifically, to get better at breaking down equations, word problems, and not being so intimated
by large numbers and being able to actually do the problem that scares me. If I could accomplish all of
theses things this year, I think ill have had a very effective year.
Reply

Aleena Tim9/9/2012 04:39:32 am

I had always like math more than the other subjects because there is only one solution you need to
solve in order to get the answer. I do consider myself to be good/average at math since there are
formulas to solving one answer. Although, I'm not 100% good at math but I do have my strengths and
weaknesses on this subject but I will accomplish my goals this year in School of the Future.

I had always have my good experiences and bad experiences in math. The good experiences I had in
math was that sometimes I forget the formulas to solving a problem or I have teachers that doesn't
explain very well. I am a visual learner and it seems to help explain things more. My good experiences in
math is when I receive high grades/scores in math.

I had always scored high 3s, and 4s on the city wide math tests but it seemed to drop in 7th, and 8th
grade and i realized why my grades and test scores dropped. I didn't get a good explanation on how to
solve certain math units because sometimes I forget or get confused and start guessing on math quizzes
or tests and the teachers I had over the past years speeds through the units to quickly and doesn't give
us a better understanding on it but I also wasn't studying or paying attention enough.

This year in math, I hope to accomplish my goals and they are: Scoring high 80s or 90s, stop guessing on
problems, solve math problems faster, get a better understanding on certain math units so I won't have
to forget, doing all my homework and handing it all in time, and pass tests, and quizzes.

Reply

Niko Weinsteinlink9/9/2012 04:44:47 am

in this essay i will explain my math life.

i think i am fairly competent with the math we will be learning. i am good with equations and i am pretty
confident that i will do well.

i always struggled with multiplication, but by now i have a fair grasp. i was always pretty good at algebra,
but i struggle with conversions from fraction to percent to decimal and vise-versa.

my goal is to try my best to do my work well and to pass math.

Reply

Oliver Martin9/9/2012 04:55:42 am

In this response I will talk about how I consider myself as a student in math, the bad and good, and what
I hope to accomplish this year in math.

I overall don't consider myself to be bad at math but I'm not really good because I have a problem of
learning concepts quickly and sticking it in my mind. When a concept is taught to me it takes me a
couple days to actually get it and then I'm fine if I study it.

The last couple of years I have had ups and downs with math, some years I meet the standards fine and
other years I struggle a little. This is sometimes because of the units, for example I'm bad at combining
equations but fine with problems that include graphs or tables. Also I have had bad experiences were I
didn't study as much as I should and didn't get a very good grade on a quiz or classwork.

This year in math I want to accomplish studying my topics more so I can do better at understanding
concepts and getting better grades on quiz's which overall will improve my grade in math.

Reply

Justin Holch (9th grade)9/9/2012 05:00:21 am

My Math Autobiography

When I was younger and my dad would take me places he always gave me math problems to do in my
head. I would enjoy doing this most of the time. Math has been mostly good for me except when it
comes to the big time.

As a student I have never really had any problems with math during class but when it comes to tests my
grade can go from a 90 to a 75 in a blink of an hour. It does not matter what subject of math, if it is a test
or a quiz it always seems to hurt me. But otherwise I consider myself to be pretty good at math.

People go through struggles all throughout the school year and in math it’s always that one subject or
two that can bring my grade down from a 93 to an 88. For example this year it was area and
circumference of a circle. I was doing great until that one subject and then it kind of dropped me to
where I finished the year. My good experiences with math are with fractions and equations. I always
seem to do better with those topics.
Since I am starting high school now I have to set new goals for myself and that will be with everything
we study. I want to be able to get it into my brain so by the time next year comes; I remember it and I do
not have to learn it all over again.

Reply

Luis Zapata9/9/2012 11:33:59 am

My Math Autobiography

For this paper I will be writing about my experiences with math. I will talk about my feelings about math,
my good and bad math years, and what I expect from myself this year.

Math has always been a struggle for me because i don't really like math. I understand some subjects
such as angles and many other but when it comes to algebra I struggle and don't understand anything
and i will just go blank.

Some bad experiences are in the eighth grade where I was so desperate to pass a test and was caught
cheating , It was the worst time in my life . My teachers didn't call my parents and just gave me
warning.I was so surprised that they gave me a chance, from that point i tried my best to pass al my
tests but i never got passed a 90 in all my math tests grades.

What i expect in this year is to pass all my tests and try my best to get over a ninety. I have confidence in
my self that i will do good this year. i don't believe that i am a great math student because of my past
years in school.I will try to do my best in this year and start strong and also end strong

Reply

Anderson Alleyne9/9/2012 05:49:57 am

In this essay I will tell you about my experiences in math. I will tell you my thoughts about this subject
and what I hope to accomplish this year.
I consider my self to be adaquete at math. It is not my strongest subject but it is not a subject I hate.
Sometimes I excel in certain topics in math but some topics i'm not. For example fractions and graphing
are two topics in math I am not good at. But topics such as the pythagorean theorem I am very good at.
It depends which topic it is in math. I've mostly gotten 85's and 90's in math on my report card.

My good experiences in math is getting high 80's and 90's on test and quizzes.Also getting 90's in math
on my report card. My bad experiences in math is getting low grades on my test and inquizzes. In the ast
marking period in the 6th grade I gotten my lowest grade in any subject. I have gotten a 65 in math.
Sometimes in math class I get failing grades on test. But I try my hardest.

I hope to accomplish in math class this year to get 90's on test and quizzes. Also on my report card.
Another thing hope to learn more about algebra and prepare my self for college and beyond.

Reply