Detail is not just a river in Egypt

Ok, so it's all coming back to me now.  I know I've talked about how I didn't do well in Geometry in High School, but this week reminded me why.  I am not a details person, that's why I prefer cooking to baking.  When you are cooking you can throw a little of this and a little of that in and taste it and keep going.  In backing, the more precise the measurements, the more likely your product will turn out the way it should.  There is also an "order of operations" in baking.  You can't add the Crisco after the flower is mixed in, you have to mix it with the sugar and then mix in the flour.  That's geometry, it's baking with numbers.  What exactly am I talking about?  Take a look at this.

Now you could argue that all math is "baking with numbers", but I disagree.  There are often times in mathematics where you can use different methods to get the same result.  I could multiply by 1/3, or divide by three.  I could subtract 7 or add -7.  With geometry though, unless you're some sort of genius, you better just take the formulas for volume as they are and punch the numbers in.   On the plus side though, Geometry does let you use Algebra a lot, and everyone knows Algebra is fun! 

So back to the details, what do I have the most issue with?  The steps, it's all about missing a step and getting the totally wrong answer.  That made me think "if I actually want to learn this stuff and have trouble, what about students that don't like math?"  I'm trying and not doing great, how can I make this accessible to all students, not just the ones that think math is fun.  Then it came to me, I can't!  Well, that's not a good attitude, how about I can, with some help from the internet!

 

Ok, so the video is pretty cheesy, but it's accurate and catchy enough that students may actually remember some formulas.

Let's get back to reality for a minute.  There is really only one way to become proficient with solving problems like volume, and that's practice.  There are many steps and the only way to really learn it is by doing it, over and over again.  It's just like anything, learning an instrument, a new dance move or a poem.  You have to put the time in to get the benefit out.  As teachers, we just need to make it as painless as possible.