Mathematical History of Mine

My mathematical history began from every simple thing that my father has done when taught me. He is not a teacher, he is not an educated person, he is not graduated from a bachelor degree, but he really knew how to teach me best. Today, I just realized that my father always taught me mathematics by using the logical reasoning. He unconsciously built my ability which tends to use analytical approaches when facing the problem. I felt I was easier to undergo the math course both in Elementary School and Junior High School. Mostly I got a good mark at my report so that mathematics became my favorite subject.

However, I used to get a bad experience about mathematics mark. It was about the assignment in the fourth class of elementary school. In a short story, my teacher gave us an assignment from a book. The book had provided an example of how we should solve the problem, so that my teacher suddenly asked us to follow that example. When I did it, I found that the example has the false answer. I had my own answer but I remembered what my teacher said, “Follow the example!” so that I decided to follow the example. Even though I knew that the answer is totally wrong, I thought that the teacher will not be angry because I did the homework by following her instructions. However, the reality was not pursuant to my prediction. I got zero, plus the anger of my teacher because when I was asked why giving the wrong answer, “I said that because we were asked to follow the example by you”. Since that, I pledge to be more cautious when follow any instruction and also to believe myself more than others.

Even though mathematics was my favorite subject but I didn’t think I am best in mathematics. I know I am bad in remembering formula so that I prefer to choose vocational high school as my high school. I took accounting as my major. I feel mathematics in vocational high school was a best friend because it was simple enough. I really enjoy to studying accounting. It was caused of accounting didn’t need too much formula but accounting only needed the logical reasoning.

Big challenges came when I am in a university to get a bachelor degree of mathematics education. I got problem to pursue the prior knowledge which have to been mastered as like as my friends got in their senior high school. It really push my confidence down, I felt like I was nothing in this major. I felt really scared to face the course, also being anxious if I am asked something about the materials. Furthermore, I ever got the laughing from my friends because I didn’t know how to write alpha and beta. It made me shy and being demeaned instead.

Fortunately, what I was thought is not so true. I am satisfied enough with my study result in some of these semester. I could pass the exam even I have to learn more about the materials of mathematics in senior high school. I am really pleasure because SSE is a convenient place for me. I could learn what mathematics is really about. I feel that the most important thing in mathematics is the ability to understand the problem and analyze what the process which is needed to solve the problem. As long as I master the concept of any mathematics topic, I could solve the problem about that topic. Hence, I don’t fear anymore to face the future because I realized that mathematics is designed to be learned for develop our logical reasoning skills rather than to remember many formula.