(B) The 1st lesson

I came to class on the first day of this module with a sense of curiousity. Math had never really excited me. In fact,more often then not, it made me tune out... However, after reading chapter 1 of the book, and realizing that; it was true, a teacher's attitude towards math would transfer to how the students approached it, I was prepared to allow math to excite me...but just a little mind you ;)

The class was interesting... we started with a Number spelling game. The confident way Dr Yeap showed the accurate card every single time played into the "mystery" surrounding the whole game. Working together as a group to unlock this mystery proved to be quite a hilarious affair. However after drawing squares to represent the cards, everything became much clearer. I played the game with 2 groups of people over the past week. The first, a group of teachers in my school, struggled just as we did to find the way to arrange the cards. What amazed me was that when I showed the trick to my cousin and she was able to put it together by just counting the cards backwards. So there really is no just one answer to everything!

The other games we played; the "take one or take two" & "dice" games were both very fun and interesting as well. It amazed me that behind all the 'magic' was math and logic. Can math and logic answer everything?!? ;p

Playing the "take one or take two" game with Jean, I was delirious when I won the first round. What escaped me was the fact that that would be the one and only, first and last time I held onto the "winner" title in this game! For Jean had, in her mathematical mind, already worked out the "secret" to wining the game while I was still floating around on my winner's cloud! When we discussed it as a class, i realized that again, no one way was THE RIGHT way. There were a few conjectures that held true when we tested them out.

Class came to an end, and sad to say, it was time for me to say i was wrong, Math need not always be boring, dull and a continuos droning of numbers. It could also be fun, interesting and a time for laughter and learning. What mysteries would the next class hold? Would i finally, FINALLY have the chance to be a mathematical genius? Ok, that's asking for too much. Would i finally be able to enjoy Math, and bring this enjoyment to my students as well?

Mathematical-genius-in-the-making,
Grace