...Numbers and I do not mix.
Numbers are as abstract as clouds quickly moving through my head, changing shape and order almost instantly. Give me a seven digit phone number and I'm lucky to remember the prefix. Transferring English to Metric units in college had me tucking a cheat sheet (legally) into where ever it would fit while working in the field. Even a hectare had to find a visual home in my head.
After three attempts at two different colleges, I finally mastered Calculus with a C+. Statistics took two tries and all I could think was that at least I used to be decent at geometry. Or had I? Skipping a professional diagnosis, I declared I must be dyslexic with numbers... or something.
When explaining to my college adviser how I desired to change my BS in Recreation Resource Management to Forestry, he graciously advised against the change strictly on my mathematical history alone. "Forestry is mostly mathematics" he warned me. In other words, I would never see the end of the undergrad tunnel if I took the Forestry route. There went my true love of trees down the drain with my math skills. The blow was disheartening to say the least but an accurate assessment. Which is why today, while helping out with a second grade math activity, it came as no surprise I worked out the wrong answer to 89 * 78.
Curses!
My daughter and all her friends are officially smarter than me! One would qualify a mother as knowing basic mathematics. Passing calculus, no matter the amount of times it took, reminds me that some time ago, I once knew the answer to 89 * 78. Had to have! Right? Here's praying that by the time Abbie finishes third grade, I will once and for all never be stumped by times tables again.
Thank goodness for children.
After three attempts at two different colleges, I finally mastered Calculus with a C+. Statistics took two tries and all I could think was that at least I used to be decent at geometry. Or had I? Skipping a professional diagnosis, I declared I must be dyslexic with numbers... or something.
When explaining to my college adviser how I desired to change my BS in Recreation Resource Management to Forestry, he graciously advised against the change strictly on my mathematical history alone. "Forestry is mostly mathematics" he warned me. In other words, I would never see the end of the undergrad tunnel if I took the Forestry route. There went my true love of trees down the drain with my math skills. The blow was disheartening to say the least but an accurate assessment. Which is why today, while helping out with a second grade math activity, it came as no surprise I worked out the wrong answer to 89 * 78.
Curses!
My daughter and all her friends are officially smarter than me! One would qualify a mother as knowing basic mathematics. Passing calculus, no matter the amount of times it took, reminds me that some time ago, I once knew the answer to 89 * 78. Had to have! Right? Here's praying that by the time Abbie finishes third grade, I will once and for all never be stumped by times tables again.
Thank goodness for children.
One of the saddest aspects of growing older is the passing years have an adverse relationship to your math skills. I used to be such a whiz! Now - can scarcely remember my times tables - that IS what a calculator is for right! ??
ReplyDeleteKristin
Call me!
ReplyDeletePS I hate math and failed stat 1040 (seriously!)