Right and Wrong

Time,time, time

One thing I try to impress on my journalism students is how much time and effort it takes to be good. We read feature stories by Pulitzer prize winners, some of whom have been writing professionally for twenty years or more. Some of the stories we read might have taken the writer months of hard work to get done -- research and rewrite after rewrite, with the help of top notch editors.

I have speakers, all professional writers, come into class and they say the same thing. And, almost to a person, my students think they can conduct two or three fifteen minute interviews, compile some notes, and write a credible story the night before their deadlines. It doesn't work.

So, I shouldn't be surprised by how much time I'm needing to put into my algebra class, just to (barely) keep up. But I am surprised and not really accepting it. I am, also to my surprise, understanding much of the stuff, but it is taking more time than I imagined. And, no telling what's sticking.

I am resenting the time. I'd rather be doing almost anything outdoors especially bicycling. I rather be reading the wonderful publications I receive every week. But at the same time, I am enjoying learning new things.

This weekend I sort of got a handle on solving and graphing "systems of linear inequalities." As they say, "don't ask."

Right and Wrong

I am enjoying the the idea of right and wrong answers. At this level, it is so clean. You follow the steps and you get the right answer. If you don't, you don't.

When my students turn a writing assignment in to me, there are a hundred right ways they could have approached and written the story. There are rules, but beyond a very early phase, it's subjective. I force myself to judge their stories and assign them grades. Likely another teacher would have judged differently. And a third, even more differently. John looks at our math test and the answer is either right or wrong.

Motivation

A new camera or lens always worked for photography. A nice new fountain pen (less well) for writing. Why not a new calculator to re-motivate me about math?

So, while I should have been solving problems and preparing for tomorrow's test, I spent time on the web reading about whether I should by a TI-84 plus silver edition, TI-89 Titanium, or HP 40gs. Seth told me I should by the TI-89. That's what got him through high school and college. Most of my classmates have the TI-84. My HP-12C, the business calculator, got me through my MBA and might as well be new more than 20 years later, so I went with the HP 40gs, their student-level graphing calculator. I can't wait to get it.

The book

I still haven't gotten back to Charisse at CQ Press, even to thank her for taking the time to talk to me on the phone. I guess I'm conflicted about whether I want to take the next step. And I'm really conflicted about whether I want to take the next three steps. It would be fun to try, but at the same time, that's a lot of work for hardly any money, or fun. Plus, if I'm taking up all of my spare time learning math, how will find time to write about it. On the other hand, a new book about math for journalists could do a lot of good, give me something solid to work on, and open up other doors.

Our first exam

John is giving us our first tomorrow. Rather than review, I've been pushing forward. I hope not too much is falling off the back. I'll report back.