For those who have pre-ordered Math for Grownups from Amazon, it looks like it’s headed for your mailbox early! This is from a friend:
Email from Amazon says to anticipate an earlier delivery of your book– between June 22-25 instead of mid-July!
Wowee!
In fact, Amazon and Barnes and Noble are showing that it’s in stock.
If you haven’t ordered your very own copy, you can do it here: Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Want to know what really burns me up? Telling a kid he’s not good at math. Know what’s just as bad? Telling a mom that her kid isn’t good at math.
This morning, I was early for my fitness boot camp class. (Sadly, I don’t get to work with Robert the personal trainer.) I chatted with a couple of the women who, like me, show up every morning at 6:45 for an hour of torture. Of course, I had to share that I got advance copies of my book, Math for Grownups, yesterday. Per usual, the conversation turned to the absolutely ridiculous and completely frustrating notion that people are either good at math and science or they’re good at language arts.
Now, for the record, I wholeheartedly disagree with that line of thinking. (Can you tell?) Keep reading to find out why.
One mom said that her son’s first grade class was good at reading but not math. How did she know this? The teacher told her. There are so many unbelievably wrong things about this situation, and thinking about it makes me want to scream:
First graders who think they’re not good at math, grow up to be middle schoolers who think algebra is beyond them. These middle schoolers of course awkwardly morph into teenagers who are convinced that they won’t need (and can’t do) geometry, trig, advanced algebra, probability, statistics and calculus. And then of course, these acne-prone, love-sick adolescents become the smart, successful adults who tell me every day that they desperately need my book, because they can’t balance their checkbooks to save their souls.
But really, I’m not blaming this one teacher. I promise. She’s just the beginning of a long line of teachers and other grownups who buy the lies about math: that only people with “math brains” can comprehend the Pythagorean Theorem and no one uses math in everyday life anyway.
So, what’s the solution? The issue is not the students. The issue is that we somehow believe that there is only one way to teach math. Of course that’s not true. Teachers and parents have to figure out how our kids think and approach math in a way that makes sense to them. And we have to quit labeling ourselves and our kids.
All you parents out there, I’d be forever grateful if you’d do just one of these things:
And just a quick footnote/disclaimer: I am the biggest advocate of schools and teachers that you will ever meet. Having been a public school teacher and been raised in a family of teachers, I’ve seen first-hand what our educators face on a daily basis. I just wish I didn’t hear stories like the one I heard this morning.
I’m going to gingerly climb off of my soapbox now. (My glutes are killing me after that workout!) But I ask you to share your thoughts on these generalizations about math ability and math education. What messages have you or your kids received? What do you think about them? How do you think we can counter them? And for all you teachers out there: how do you send the message to your students that they are good at math?
I’ve decided to start a regular feature about math education, called Summer School. In it, I’ll discuss some ways that parents can send the right messages about math. We don’t need another generation of grownups who think they can’t do math! 🙂
It was just a little brown box on my porch. Inside were ten copies of Math for Grownups.
Unlike the baby I had nearly 11 years ago, I had no clue this one was on its way. The book doesn’t hit the shelves until July 18, but this novice book author had no idea about advance copies. Duh.
I have to say that these little guys are just about as adorable as my daughter. (Okay, not nearly as adorable, but still.) The cover is like a composition notebook with a rough feel — really neat. And it’s not a huge, intimidating tome, like lots of math books are.
Great day here at my house. My first baby graduated elementary school and my other baby landed on my doorstep. Time to celebrate!
What does it mean to be an exercise physiologist?
I do exercise testing and personal training at a large, new, state-of-the-art fitness center. The two main tests I conduct are a resting metabolic-rate test, which tells you how many calories your body typically burns at rest (then you can, hopefully, figure out how many you should consume!); and cardiovascular tests, which reveal how cardiovascularly fit you are. Using those results, you can work at the right heart-rate zone to burn fat. I also do strength and flexibility assessments.
And clearly, this requires some mathematical calculations.
I do a little math everyday. Sometimes I’m converting meters to feet or miles. I work a lot with percentages, particularly heart rate percents. Often, I put some raw data into a computer program to get those percentages. Other times it is on the fly with a calculator, always with a calculator. I work with percentages of heart rates for training goals or with disease management cases. I also work in terms of percentages of fat, to weight, and to muscle. Once in a while a computer program doesn’t work and I have to do some algebraic equations by hand, old school. I don’t remember the formulas so I have to look them up.
How do you think math helps you do your job better?
Exercise science is a science, and it should be precise. I measure fitness levels (body composition, strength, flexibility and cardiovascular), prescribe exercise, and try to help clients achieve a certain percent increase in one thing, or a certain percent drop in another, and then measure again. If I get these things wrong, clients are less likely to see results, and in my job, I need to produce results.
How comfortable with math do you feel?
The math I do now I feel comfortable with. I know the basics well. When you throw out numbers to people, when you know numbers, people tend to listen more. When I’m presenting to my department head I always double-check my math.
What kind of math did you take in high school?
I was awful in Algebra. I had to work three times harder than everyone else just to get by. After the basics, math made little sense until I got to study stats in grad school. I found some more purpose in it.
Did you have to learn new skills in order to do this math?
Most of the math that I use at work or shopping at Costco I learned in school.
Want to know more about the math involved in fitness and nutrition? Check out my book Math for Grownups, which will be out on July 18! And if you know of anyone who uses math in surprising ways in their work, please let me know.
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
–Lady Gaga
It was day two of my second year of teaching high school geometry, and already I had been called for a parent meeting in the principal’s office. I was a bit worried. What on earth could a parent have issues with already?
Mrs. X sat with her 14-year-old son across the desk from the principal. I shook her hand and took the chair next to her. The principal handed me a copy of my geometry class syllabus that I’d sent home with all of my students during the first day of class. Like every other class syllabus at this particular school, mine included class rules, the grading system, a list of general objectives and the obligatory notice that I’d be following all other relevant objectives outlined by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Mrs. X has some questions about your syllabus,” he said, turning the meeting over to her.
“I don’t understand what this objective is,” Ms. X said, pointing to her copy of the syllabus and then reading aloud: “‘Students will use their intuitive understanding of geometry to understand new concepts.’ What does ‘intuitive’ mean? Are you going to hypnotize my son?”
I instantly relaxed. Clearly, I was dealing with an over-zealous, perhaps under-educated parent, who had been listening to too much right-wing radio (which in the early 1990s was railing against witchcraft in the classrooms). I might think she was crazy, but I could handle this.
I calmly explained that all students come into my class with a basic understanding of shapes and the laws of geometry. I needed my students to tap into this intuitive understanding so that we could build on skills they already had.
In short: These kids already knew something about geometry, and as a professional educator, I was going to take advantage of that.
What I didn’t realize was that my heartfelt theory was not proven fact. But in April of this year, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a study that does just that. Here’s the gist:
Member of the Mundurucu tribe of Brazil (photo courtesy of P. Pica)
French researcher, Pierre Pica discovered that members of the Amazon Mundurucu tribe have a basic understanding of geometric principles–even though they aren’t schooled in the subject and their language contains very few geometric terms. In other words, geometry is innate.
In fact, Pica found that French and U.S. students and adults did not perform as well on the tests as their Mundurucu brethren. Turns out formal education may get in the way of our natural abilities.
“Euclidean geometry, inasmuch as it concerns basic objects such as points and lines on a plane, is a cross-cultural universal that results from the inherent properties of the human mind as it develops in its natural environment,” the researchers wrote.
Bla, bla, bla, and something about points and lines.
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but what this means is I was right all those years ago. We may not have been born with Euclid’s brain, but we do, at the very least, pick up his discoveries just by interacting with our world, rather than sitting in a high school classroom.
Actually, the philosopher Immanuel Kant said as much when he was doing his thing in the 18th century, so this isn’t a new idea at all. But many students (and parents) didn’t get that memo.
The bottom line: aside from uncommon processing and learning differences, there’s no reason that you can’t do ordinary geometry. More than likely, any obstacles you face are rooted in fear or stubbornness.
And I, for one, won’t let you get away with that.
Art and math are diametrically opposite, right? Wrong.
Blossom, layering of enamel over silver. Photo credit: Hap Sakwa.
Shana Kroiz is a Baltimore-based, acclaimed jewelry designer and artist, whose work has been shown in the some of the country’s most esteemed galleries and museums, including The Smithsonian and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. She’s kind of a big deal–and she does math!
When do you use basic math in your job?
Most days I contend with a variety of math problems, whether I’m measuring a piece or resizing a ring. I use wax to cast my designs, and so I have to convert the weight of wax into the the specific weight of the metal I am using. I also construct three-dimensional forms out of sheet metal, which requires some geometry. I have to know the sizes and weights of my pieces, so that they are not too heavy to be worn. When scoring and bending metal, I have to figure out the angle of my score lines in order to get the correct angle out of the sheet I am bending. Then there’s the business side of things: calculating the time it takes to make a piece with the cost of materials and the addition of any profit I need to make. Prices also have to be converted into a retail and wholesale values.
Do you use any tools to help with this math?
Yes, I use calculators, calipers, dividers, scales and, of course, computers. They all help with precision and time management.
How do you think math helps you do your job better?
Without math, it is almost impossible to do precision work. I work with a lot of potentially dangerous chemicals, and the math involved keeps me safe. Plus, if I mix the chemicals incorrectly, the result won’t be what I need. Being precise with my math means that I can avoid having to do things over again.
How comfortable with math do you feel?
I do most of the same sorts of problems over and over, so I feel comfortable in the studio, and can teach to my students. But there are times when I wish I had a deeper or broader understanding of how to use math. Sometimes I think I take too long to find the answers to calculations. If I understood how to use a different formula I might get to the answer faster.
Did you have to learn new skills in order to do this math?
Yes, but I had to work it out on my own. When I had a tangible need, I figure things out.
What kind of math did you take in high school?
I went through algebra and some geometry. And I didn’t feel like I was good at it at all! I could follow a problem if I had a model, but I did not have a good enough conceptual understanding of math to work out the formulas on my own. So I would say I was average at best, but I think if it had been taught in a way that I could understand I would have been much better. I do think if math was taught with more useful applications, students would have an easier time learning, understanding and being engaged in math as a useful tool for life.
Each Monday, I feature someone who uses everyday math in their jobs. If you would like to be featured (or if you know someone who you think should be featured), let me know at llaing-at-comcast-dot-net. You can also catch up on previous Math at Work Mondays.
In honor of a gorgeous weekend that is just around the corner (at least here in Charm City), I thought I’d see if anyone has any backyard math questions. Are you wondering how to figure out how many cubic yards of mulch you need? What about setting the darned sprinkler system so that your posies get exactly the right amount of the wet stuff? Or perhaps you’re planning a new garden and need some advice on buying materials.
Dig deep, and post your questions below. I’ll come up with some answers–before the weekend is over!
The last Open Thread Friday prompted a salary question that I thought deserved its own post. Check it out here: Is Your Boss Ripping You Off?
What is a television line producer, and how long have you been doing this job?
Production companies hire me after they’ve received the “green light” to develop and produce a new television series. The first thing I do is read something called the bible, a document that explains the concept, visual look and tone of the show. My job is to create a production budget based on the amount of money the executive producer has for the entire project. For example, if he or she gives me $6 million to produce 26 episodes, I need to allocate every cent within several dozen categories over the length of the production. I also create the pre-production, shooting and post-production schedules, assist with casting, hire the technical crews and then oversee the whole project from beginning to end. I’ve been doing this work for 23 years.
When do you use basic math in your job?
I have to break everything down in the budget and make sure we only spend what we have! So for example, I have to figure out how many days we need a wardrobe assistant, how much it will cost, and make sure we have some wiggle room for overtime, extra prep days, etc. Sometimes, if I’m working on a smaller budget show, I’m the one who calculates the actors’ and technicians’ time sheets, so lots of adding, multiplication, etc.
Every week or so, I have to do cash flow reports; how much I estimated to spend, the actual costs, and estimated future costs. It all has to balance out, so if we do lots of overtime one week, I need to figure out what needs to be cut over the coming weeks to make up for that shortfall.
Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math? Why or why not?
Oh yes!! Time sheets are now calculated on the computer, but I still check everything with a calculator, as I’ve fallen victim to incorrect formats. Nothing worse than a camera operator coming up to you saying his paycheck is wrong!! Cash flows and budgets are either done on Excel or through special software, often MovieMagic, which has programs for film and television scheduling and budgeting.
I have to admit I also still count on my fingers sometimes
How do you think math helps you do your job better?
It forces me to focus on what is perhaps the most important part of any creative project: the bottom line. Television is lots of fun, but it’s a business, and the executives and broadcasters expect me to deliver a project on budget. Time is money when you’re on-set, so even 15 minutes of overtime can sink you, if you have dozens of cast and crew to pay. Math makes me more organized!
How comfortable with math do you feel?
Today, I’m very comfortable with math, but since I have a tendency to do everything quickly, my challenge is always to slow down and get it right.*
What kind of math did you take in high school?
I hated math all through school, and always excelled at writing, and other creative subjects. I had one fabulous math teacher in tenth grade who finally made math fun. Good thing I was in his class, because I’d always figured I’d never need math to pursue my career goals, but was amazed years later to discover how much math I needed when I started working in television production. I was a script supervisor whose duties included timing segments with a stop-watch, adding things up and making sure we wouldn’t go into editing with too many long scenes. I was terrified of making math errors, and realized quickly to slow down, relax and always double-check my work.
Wendy Helfenbaum is a writer and television producer in Montreal, Canada. Visit her at http://www.taketwoproductions.ca.
*This is perhaps the best advice I can offer anyone who is struggling with math. Only your fifth-grade teacher and the Mathletes coach care how quickly you can do calculations.
Last week’s Math at Work feature was with my sister, Melissa, who is a speech therapist.
So this apparently is big news in Myrtle Beach. A middle school math teacher actually took her kids out of the classroom to teach them math. In the school cafeteria, the students converted decimals to percents and found surface area and volume — as they were cooking up some healthy eats.
Ya’ll, seriously. This is what how we use math as grownups.
(Okay, so the surface area and volume is a bit of a stretch.)
If you think doing math is about chalkboards and protractors, you’re flat out wrong. (Besides schools use dry erase boards these days.)
Math is about getting your hands dirty, sketching a picture on a scrap piece of paper, doing some quick calculations on the iPhone. Most of all, math is about solving real problems — not those silly things that have something to do with trains in Omaha — and coming to these solutions in creative and sensible ways. (There. I said it: creative and sensible.)
Look, I like what this teacher is doing. And so do her students:
“You learn it better because you enjoy doing it,” said Maya Bougebrayel, who made a vegetable chicken stir fry with teammates Allison Klein and Carlisa Singleton. The girls, all 13, agreed that the project put a creative spin on learning and made it easier for those who are visual learners.
But if it wasn’t such a novel idea, wouldn’t grownups be better at math? Feel free to chime in in the comments section.
Wondering how you (or someone you love) is going to survive without the Daytime Diva? Here’s a selection of stats about her show, from SheKnows:
Read the rest at SheKnows!
When you were in middle and high school, did you think you’d never need to use the math you were learning? Like most grownups, you probably found out that, yes, you did need some of it — and some of it you’ll never do again.
Each Monday, I’ll introduce you to someone who uses math on the job. We’re going to skip over the engineers, physicists and statisticians and stick to folks who use regular, everyday math. First up, my sister, Melissa, a speech therapist.
So, what kind of speech therapist are you, and how long have you been doing this job?
Lots of people think of speech therapists in the school setting, working with kids. But I work with adults, who are critically ill or recovering from an injury or illness in rehab. I’ve been doing this for 19 years. Basically, I provide care in these areas:
All of my patients are adults, and most of them have had some sort of illness or injury.
When do you use math in your job?
Rehab is very goal oriented. I meet with patients on a regular basis and keep data on those goals — how many questions the patient answered correctly or the number of times a he performed a certain task properly. At the end of the day, I tabulate that data. And then at the end of the week, I average the data for the week.
I also use math in some of my tasks with the patients.
Functional math is a form of reasoning, and so I will provide a patient
with math tasks to “rehab” his or her reasoning skills.
These calculations help me determine if the patient has met that goal, and if so, I create a new goal.
I also use math in some of my tasks with the patients. Functional math is a form of reasoning, and so I will provide a patient with math tasks to “rehab” his or her reasoning skills.
What kind of math is important for your job?
Percents! If the patient got 8 out of 10 correct on a certain task, I put in the note that she was 80% successful. (But sometimes the numbers aren’t great for mental math: 29 out of 44 correct, for example.)
Most rehab and acute care settings use a very specific form of measuring assistance, called Functional Independent Measures, or FIMS.
So, since I measure FIMS weekly, I am always creating percentages in my head (and on paper) of how a patient is performing on that certain task.
How does math help you do your job?
It allows me to be very accurate in data collection. Of course, many patients’ lengths of stay is dependent on whether or not there is proven progress, and the best way to prove it is to show it in black-and-white. Patients and their families would rather see “80% accuracy” as opposed to “required min assist.” Percents are more accurate and detailed.
I also firmly believe that having patients do math themselves helps them building their reasoning skills. I think I am doing my job better by making them do math! I will even have my patients average their data for the week. This helps them use reasoning skills as well as understand their goals and how they are progressing.
How comfortable with math do you feel?
I feel comfortable with simple math, especially if I can write it out, use pen and paper, etc. I get bogged down with more complex actions and definitions, but I don’t have to use these in my job.
Did you have to learn to use new skills?
No, I use basic elementary and middle school math. However, I do feel like it took me years in my job to realize that I could involve the patient to help me! It’s a great way to help the patient therapeutically. I think I forget to make math functional.
Thank you, Melissa for being the first person featured in Math at Work Monday! If you have questions for Melissa, feel free to ask them in the comments section. And if you know of someone who uses regular math in their jobs — duh, of course you do! — and you would like to see that person featured here, drop me a line and let me know!
So tomorrow the world is supposed to end. Okay, not quite. The rapture will begin. Apparently Earth won’t be destroyed until October 21. So you have some time to get your $@*% together.
But this isn’t the only reason that the number 21 is significant. Here are some other interesting (in a pocket-protector kind of way) facts about this Very Important Number.
Anything you want to add? Or are you too busy packing your bags?