Math class is boring!!!

kstar25 · 2006-05-02 07:28:55

Hey, guys I am new here! I'm only in grade 9, and my academic math class has become a hassle!!!! I absolutely love my math teacher, he is a really good teacher and a really nice guy, but I just can't seem to actually enjoy the work that we do! He is in love with math, and he wants to share that love with us, but our class just isn't getting it! Last year I had all of my math marks at nearly 100%, and I even won the math award at grad, but now my marks are running on just above 75%! I don't know what to do, or how to focus, or how to make math more fun in class! Please help me, I want to like math again!

MathsIsFun · 2006-05-02 09:48:56

Oh wow, what an interesting problem!

Maybe you could try to find exactly why it went "off the rails" for you:
* Was it a new math subject that you can't quite grasp?
* Or maybe some important concept that you didn't understand and then you sailed past it and don't understand the rest?

Maybe tell us more about what you are learning that is getting so hard.

(To me, math is a lot of concepts/ideas placed on top of each other - if one is lacking the rest are just confusing)

kstar25 · 2006-05-02 10:31:11

Thanks for your advice! It's not really any concept in particular. I just had a hard algebra test today, and it really grilled my brain. I love doing algebra, but some of the questions were tough! I guess I'll just have to do my best throughout the rest of the year. Do you think there is any teaching tactics that would help my teacher to make our math class more enjoyable? We are a bunch of hyper grade nines and we really like to have fun! Please, send some more messages! THANKS!

poohlah445 · 2006-05-02 10:49:34

Well I just got here and my math class is almost always fun.

MathsIsFun · 2006-05-02 18:17:48

kstar: your class could try solving some Einstein Puzzles, or any of the other Math and Logic Puzzles.

Or any of the links on the Teacher Resources page.

And welcome poohlah445, I am very glad that you agree that math is fun

George,Y · 2006-05-03 03:02:32

Your teacher may have challenged you TOO MUCH!!

i am poor in algebra, too

kstar25 · 2006-05-03 07:09:35

Well, thanks for all of this great advice everyone! Yeah, since it's getting close to the end of the school year, maybe we should start doing more fun math work such as puzzles and stuff like that. I don't know, I really do like doing math, and I'm pretty good at it for the most part, but it just seems like a whole bunch of work! Is there any way that I can make my brain believe that math is actually fun, and not useless? (I hope I didn't offend anyone here, but some of the math we learn in class does seem pretty useless!):

Patrick · 2006-05-03 07:26:44

Well, the math you learn now is necessary later on, or atleast it will help you to get used to the way you handle math and information about math..

RickyOswaldIOW · 2006-05-03 14:39:07

In my eyes, maths is a tool. Unless you want to construct somthing it is pretty useless and no fun! People use maths in pretty much everything these days even if it's just simple adding up coins to buy some sweets. I find that if I can figure out what applications the maths I am learning has, it becomes a lot easier to learn - but that's the hard part

kstar25 · 2006-05-04 07:24:20

Yeah, math class today was actually pretty fun. We started our new unit about geometry. We reviewed each type of triangle, the different types of angles that there can be, and so on. Our math class is extremely loud and random, and stupid.. So, it wasn't too bad, but I've got to finish alot of homework that I didn't get done in the unit before. Maybe, I'll learn to actually think that math is cool because, it is! I think since geometry is more hands on, and not just a bunch of numbers and equations, it will be easier for me to learn. Thanks for all the tips that are coming in, it is greatly appreciated. KEEP SENDING THEM!

John E. Franklin · 2006-05-09 11:56:35

kstar, Did you learn how to plot an equation by hand on graph paper?
Did you learn about the angle of a line in terms of rise over run?
What about word problems that use algebra? Did you have any of those
like this:
Two temperature scales, Farenheit and Celsius are both at -40 degrees at the same time. But when Celcius is at 100, then Farenheit is at 212. So one went up by 140 degrees when the other went up by 252 degrees. Draw a graph that plots a straight line with Celsius as one axis and Farenheit as the other axis.
(Check to see if 0 Celsius is 32 Farenheit.)
(Describe why you think the graph should be a straight line.)
(If the line was curved, what would this mean?)

Did you do any problems like that?

Last edited by John E. Franklin (2006-05-09 12:00:11)

Zmurf · 2006-05-10 00:07:12

I love maths class. It's the only time I cam work on honing this equation for PI without geting in trouble. He he. And the work is so easy, there just something about being the only one in your class getting the right answer that makes you feel empowered.

MATHSKITZO · 2006-05-12 10:17:35

BEST WAY TO MAKE MATH CLASS NOT BORING:

1)Use your imagination (if you have one), and come up with a truly originally theory about something.

2)Look at math class as a way to build the skills you need in order to prove that theory.

Suddenly learning math will actually be fun, and you will be way more motivated.

It works for me, although, I have theories about pretty much every subject you can think of and I prefer to learn on my own rather than in class.

ryos · 2006-05-13 04:56:37

The fact of the matter is that sometimes, Math is boring! There's no way around it!

It's because there's so very much of it...Sometimes, you'll have to learn something that you don't care about, and it will bore you to tears. And then, when you need that something later on, you'll have to flip back through the book to refresh your memory because you never, in fact, actually learned it (you can't force your brain to learn, though you can sometimes persuade it). I know, I've been there.

The satisfaction comes when, having learned a bunch of stuff, you can approach Math like a puzzle game, and put all the little bits into play to solve a real-sounding problem. And you will feel powerful. And Math will get more interesting.

(This didn't happen for me until Calculus. Actually, it may never happen until you leave High School. Just wait until you hit Conics. Beware the general equation of the hyperbola. Bewaaaarrrreee...)

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2006-05-02 07:28:55

Math class is boring!!!

#2 2006-05-02 09:48:56

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#3 2006-05-02 10:31:11

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#4 2006-05-02 10:49:34

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#5 2006-05-02 18:17:48

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#6 2006-05-03 03:02:32

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#7 2006-05-03 07:09:35

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#8 2006-05-03 07:26:44

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#9 2006-05-03 14:39:07

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#10 2006-05-04 07:24:20

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#11 2006-05-09 11:56:35

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#12 2006-05-10 00:07:12

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#13 2006-05-12 10:17:35

Re: Math class is boring!!!

#14 2006-05-13 04:56:37

Re: Math class is boring!!!

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