Math Autobiography

My experience of mathematics has been a conventional one. Having said that, I do not mean to say it was boring or difficult. We mostly had the pen and paper worksheet form of exercises but it used to be fun doing them and rush to the teacher to be the first one to show her what we had done. I think it very much depends on the teacher ,how he/she brings up the topic to the children that actually they like it or dread it.
I was sharp at mathematical skills and to date I find my mathematical bent of mind taking over all other interests. Not only were my progress reports excellent but also, I gave quick responses for mathematical problems. This was because of my liking for mathematics and also because I had a wonderful set of teachers till grade 5. All I can remember is that the teachers were helpful and explained in easy ways that everyone could understand. I am not sure how they felt about the subject or towards teaching or even how they felt about the students. But student performance and progress are known to be a yardstick of teacher efficiency. Hence, I can say they were successful in their times,with the resources they had.
Our assessments used to be worksheet based comprising of two unit term assessments, a mid term assessment and a final assessment. Class test practices were not a part of final scores. The same pattern was observed in the high school. It was in grades 6,7 and 8 I had problems in mathematics. We often must have heard fear of the teacher getting down to the subject. This is what my problem was. I was not comfortable with the teacher who taught me in grade 6,7 and 8 ( it was the same teacher in grade 7 and 8...my plight).The teachers in grade 9 and 10 were helpful and helped me restore my interest in the subject. I studied mathematics for one year at university (as my program demanded).However, I studied Statistics and  Accountancy throughout my bachelors degree program. So to say , though not in its pure form,I studied mathematics in Accountancy, Management and Statistics. Even when I began teaching, my favourite subjects were Language and Mathematics. And the experience with the teachers in grades 6,7 and 8 taught me ' what to be careful about' while as a teacher and what problems the children face with the teachers at times. I taught using interactive methods, manipulatives , stories, activities and  just about anything that was around us. I wanted to make sure my students don't suffer what I had to.
As a person, I see mathematics everywhere in the shapes and sizes of houses,symmetry and patterns on clothes, number of teaspoons of sugar into my tea, in contact phone numbers, in paying the bills at the grocery, in seeing how much time is left for the class to begin, reverse counting at the traffic lights and what not. Mathematics is so much a part of our lives without us being even aware of it at times.