Mathematical Explorations - Student Reflections - Fall 1995

Midterm Journals

"I was very happy and surprised to see such a young professor. I actually felt a little sense of relief because you looked to me to be around my age which made me feel that maybe you would be able to relate to how I am feeling."

"I still feel very confident and having a good attitude about the class I am willing to put alot of time and effort to get a good grade knowing that you set up the class in a way in which we as students can succeed makes me feel at ease and a willingness to work hard."

"It seems like it's going to be a lot of fun, and it seems like it might be easier than an actual class, but I'll probably learn more."

"Well, it seems strange to write a journal for a math class, but this doesn't seem like an average math class."

"I got an A. I feel that was a fair grade because I spent an insane amount of time writing that chapter up. I was pleased to see Julian comment on a lot of things because that shows he read through the answers. I would've been mad if I spent all that time and he didn't read it."

"I must say that this is quite a strange math class, but I like it."

"Maybe for the first time in my life I'll get better than a 'C' in math."

"Its alot more work than I thought it would be. Its better than having a test though."

"I'm really impressed with how we are graded in this class. That says that with hard work and class participation everyone will be able to get a good grade."

"It was kind of a pain to do, because it took so long to do, but it's a lot less stressful then tests."

"The math we're doing is like tricky math. It's no algebra or geometry, it's more complicated, more fun."

"Since I'm only a freshman I really didn't know what to expect in this class or any other one... Today we got back our projects for Chapter 1. I was a little nervous about getting it back . I spent so much time making sure everything was right. I was the last person at my table to get mine back. They had all done well. Sweat was pouring down my forehead. I opened up my folder and exhaled a huge sigh of relief. I got a 139/150. I knew that had to be pretty good, but I was unsure how to figure out my grade. Then you said the highest grade was a 139, I almost fell off my seat. I was going to jump up and give you a big hug, but I decided to save both of us the embarrassment. I had to call my mother as soon as I got back to my room. She was thrilled. She works two jobs to pay for me to go here and I just wanted her to know her money was being well invested."

"Today we discussed the DNA possibilities in the O.J. trial. It is kind of funny how we really didn't understand how large 250 million is."

"As I wrote out the final math problems I was surprised how much work I put into the assignments throughout those few weeks. I believe tests wouldn't reveal that much."

"Today was the first day of class. We made a deal with the teacher; if we do all our own work, and do it hard - we won't have any quizzes, tests or homework. I'm really not too crazy about math, so this seems like the right class to be in."

"I never really understood how big 250,000,000 is."

"I thought it was interesting how you put the DNA testing in terms of the large pile of papers."

"My teacher seems pretty cool too. He actually talks to us as people and not just 'some students'."

"I can tell right now that this mathematics class will be very different from any math class I've ever had."

"Maybe I'll learn more instead of trying to cram information into my head and not remembering the next day."

"The emphasis is on bringing out clear ideas. I have never had to write complete sentences for math class, or type out the homework. Typing out and writing out sentences takes just as long as studying for a test or quiz. I learn more, to get my ideas across and they are more clear."

"Everyone is jealous of my math class. They can't get over what we do. You'll have so many kids trying to get into that class next year."

"When I entered the classroom for the first time I expected the math class to be the typical math class. By typical I mean a teacher speaking in a monotonous voice facing the board writing numbers and letters and looking to the class for a specific answer once in a while... Boring!"

Endterm Journals

"Johnny: Hey Madonna, what's cooking, good looking?
Madonna: Not too much baby, say how's that new Math class of yours?
Johnny: Oh, it's great! Were learning all about new mathematical concepts and ideas.
...
Madonna: Wow, that class sounds like something I could enjoy. But I hate Math, I just wanna be rich and famous.
Johnny: Well, don't you have to take a Math class to fill your core requirements in your Music major?
Madonna: Yes, I think so.
Johnny: Well, if I were you I would definitely registrar for Mathematical Explorations..."

"I was getting stressed, like everyone else, but I was also getting fed up with working in groups. It just didn't seem to be as great as I thought it would be. I am an independent worker. I need to be alone, sitting, where it's quiet and clam."

"Everybody learns best differently and I guess I learn best by when I sit at a desk looking at the chalkboard and the teacher absorbing information in my head."

"Remembering back to the first day of this math class, I remembered I was pretty terrified. I've never been good at math. I was regretting the fact that I had to take this math course. Although when I arrived at the class for the first time, I listened to the introduction for the class, and all the requirements. I left the class with a little smile on my face."

"We did many things in this class that I did my senior year in high school. The difference is that I actually understood the concepts and ideas because I had to do it myself. I came to the conclusion that hands on in math is better than the teacher writing numbers on the board the whole class, without looking at the students once. All in all, I think I got more out of this math course than all of my four years in high school."

"The class was fair, and you really had to use your brain."

"In this course I did not learn any new mathematical knowledge, but I did learn different and creative ways in which it can be applied. That is probably the most important thing in the world you can learn."

"I feel that I had the opportunity to analyze mathematical situations, and learn on my own pace. I was not force fed information and told to memorize it."

"By letting the students use their knowledge of mathematics in different ways, students exercise their mentality and use different thinking processes."

"Non-mathematically, the course gave me a chance to organize my thoughts and answers to be clear and understandable. For instance, the write ups at the end of each section are monotonous but, the complete sentences remind me of how and why I got a specific answer."

"All of my life math has not been one of my specialties and I have always dreaded going to math class. I wish that my elementary and high school teachers could have adopted your style while I was in their classes."

"Now at the end of the course I feel like this is not a class to take lightly and that if you don't do your work then you'll get a bad grade."

"I have always enjoyed mathematics and my view has not changed. I have never enjoyed a math class as much as this one though."

"This is a class that you don't mind going to, because it does not put you to sleep."

"The course uses both the teacher and the students to teach the material and this is very helpful to the students."

"I was somewhat impressed with the course from the beginning, but now I must say this is definitely the best math class I have ever taken."

"Never in my life have I ever written a sentence in math. Since I am an English major, writing has always come a lot easier to me than math. It was wonderful to be able to express my thoughts on the subject..."

"I will go into my next math course with a positive attitude, as opposed to the attitude I displayed when I entered this course."

"I feel if math is taught like this in elementary schools at the national level the sky is the limit for us."

"I thought that the teacher would just stand up at the board and write a bunch of stuff that I wouldn't understand and then we would have a big test on it and I would fail. To my surprise, it was nothing like that."

"This class was truly unique. It was unlike any other class I have ever had. I had fun during class, and I learned from it at the same time."

"I've always been good at math but I get board with courses like precalculus. Since I don't have any interest I don't want to learn it. What's unique about this course is the material we study actually means something to me. I can see how it's applied in the real world. That's interesting to me."

"I had originally thought that my professor would be that of the likes of my Algebra 2 teacher. She had made us feel humiliated in front of the class if we did not know the answers."

"The idea of no tests and a group concept implemented, seemed to say to me that the establishment wanted the students not just to learn forgetful information, but to explore together concepts without the anxiety revolving around testing."

"No one was supposed to become a math scholar in Math Exploration, and I suspect no one did. However, people were orientated in an area that they might otherwise have not been."

"I have never liked my math teachers, but I know that was because I did not understand the work."

"Math to me had to do with dull teachers who stood in front of the blackboard and spoke to it, rather than us... Now that I know there is more to math than ones, twos, and threes, I've come to enjoy it more than I ever thought I would."

"I believe that the course taught me about a broader range of math and opened up my eyes to a different, more enjoyable math. I used to hate math because I never really experienced the different kinds."

"It made it less mundane than an ordinary math class with a professor mumbling into the blackboard and not really helping any students."

"I really said these things to a friend when he asked about the class. So, believe it or not, you were right, I did end up liking the class. You win."

"I can't say that my feelings about mathematics have changed. I think that this course was just an exception. I can still remember back to taking math tests in high school..."

"I used to think that mathematics was all about adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers and letters and that I would never have any real use for it at all. This class has really made me more optimistic towards mathematics."

"This course has gotten rid of my cynical point of view about math and taught me that it can be a beautiful subject."

"No one had to be shy about asking questions and if you helped out a fellow students you felt smart, like you had learned something in a math class."

"Now the part about no tests, don't let that fool you. Students still have to work quite hard to receive a good grade for all the chapters we do we have to turn in to be graded. Besides that the work has to be in complete sentences, neat, and all right."

"As the semester is about to end, the many weeks that I spent in your class were very educational, yet stress free. I have worked hard, like you said we would, but I feel that I really do understand the material and think that maybe all these years that I dreaded math and thought I was not good in it have changed."

"I described math to my family and they could not believe that I was actually enjoying the class. Because they know that I have had math phobia since sixth grade."

"Deep down inside I know that I am a math struggler and this was by far the most that I have ever comprehended. Thank you, I had fun!"