Blake Nelson

To describe why I got in to math is certainly very hard for me to do. While it is easy to assume that my dad (who is a math teacher) exposed me to math, that is simply not true. I attribute my success in math to my high school Calculus teacher Mr. Murray. Because of his success, I consider my favorite subject to be Calculus. The reason Calculus is my favorite math subject is because it really is the bridge to higher mathematics. Also, I see Calculus as the most realistic and applied math and see it as a gateway to understanding real events.

 

Likewise, I also see Calculus as the easiest math to teach. I say this because most students have developed the knowledge needed up to that point to understand Calculus effectively. The slope of a function, area, continuity, etc. are all subjects covered in calculus that are covered in previous classes. So, in essence, the foundation for knowledge is there. If the students can adequately explain area, slope, and continuity, then Calculus should come naturally by generalization of those three core topics of discussion. Of course, if the student didn't pay attention to those topics and cannot explain them well, then Calculus will be impossible to teach (*ahem* HINT HINT).

 

The hardest subject to teach in math I would say is pre-algebra. Not that the subject is hard obviously, but a pre-algebra class will have primarily 7th and 8th graders. So, you have to manipulate your academic language to suit where they are academically in math, which isn't that advanced. For a subject that is full of complex academic language such as math (determinant, integral, Euclidian Manifold, etc.), this can be darn near impossible for some subjects. It is for that reason that pre-algebra can be the hardest subject to teach due to the sensitivity needed in introducing pre-algebra subjects.