Here I sit again in one of my favorite places. Panera Bread. Is one of my favorites because I like their coffee, I like their bread, and most of all I like their soups! Along with all of the great cuisine they offer, they also provide free wireless Internet. I come to Panera Bread to take on the different homework assignments that are usually due soon. Panera gives me a more "local" feeling than that of a Barnes and Noble or Starbucks type of coffee shop only because I notice many of the old men from the local area regular the shop.
Ok down to business. Throughout this Summer I have been taking "prerequisite" classes for my Ed degree from MSU. I had to take Math 1825 which is an introductory level algebra class. It was an immediately reminded of the horror and vim that occur in my mind when I am trying to do math. I am now in College Algebra. This is silly. I have a Theology degree, nearly have an Education degree to go with it and here I am taking College Algebra. This stuff baffles me. I have serious ADD when it comes to math, I have never been good at it and now that I am taking a class that is relative to a high school class I realize I never got it in the first place. Conjugates, Quadratic Formulas and functions can go away from the world and I wouldn't care. I sort of understand the importance of those things to computer programmers and physicists and the like, but all I do is USE computer programs, and USE the things that Physics dorks make possible. Thank you to them for sure, but I don't need to know how to do their job. I don't think anyone that doesn't have that interest should be forced to undergo the sickening task of submerging themselves into an area of letters, signs and theorems when it will NEVER apply to their life past the grade they receive.
At most I will teach Elementary students how to add and subtract, multiply and divide. enough to manage a checkbook and a loan. For anyone reading this blog (this means you Monty) my question is A: do you remember your college algebra class? and B: Do you use ANYTHING you learned in that class?
3 comments:
Josh, I preached a sermon recently and stated that my high school algebra 1 & 2 classes were the most useless classes that I have ever taken. I had some math lovers come up to me and try to show me that I use it in every day life. I still think it is a crock!
Lugnut,
I found your blog through Monty and am enjoying reading your blogs.
I'm not going to let my High School Junior read your and Monty's posts on Algebra because she's taking Algebra II this year and is mirrowing your sentiments! (grin)
I, like you, am a graduate of Southern Nazarene University. It was called BNC when I was there. My niece gradated from SNU several years ago and my nephew graduated two years ago. Their names are Laura and Bradley Larpenteur.
Happy Equating!
Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt
This is great info to know.
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