When I went into middle school, I had Mrs. Brown for math class. Mrs. Brown said she was teaching sixth grade math because of a promotion, but i thought the whole thing had stalker written all over it because seriously, i was that good of an elementary school student.
Mrs. Brown had me and Son Bui (another kid at my elementary school) at a separate table, away from everyone. We were left on our own, unsupervised because she thought we were above what the rest of the class was doing. I did not turn in one math assignment or take a test the whole year. Easiest A ever!
My family moved in the seventh grade. For the first time ever, i struggled in something at school. Math builds upon itself, and missing a whole year of learning set me back. Math became my worst subject. The only class i feared in middle, high school and college. I avoided classes that had to do with math, majors that required math (engineers, chemistry, accounting, business).
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I erased Long's entire math assignment.
"Do it over," I told him.
"But auntie," he whined.
"I told you LT, I want to see the work," cutting short his whine fest.
I watched as he wrote down the problems, then tapped his pencil slowly on the paper.
"You stuck LT?"
"A little."
He was more than a little stuck. His first quiz was a D. His first test was a D. He was failing math.
"Let's take it from the top okay," I said. We worked out the problem step by step. He never gets the answer on the first try.
"Another?" I asked.
He nodded without looking up.
He worked the second problem. Getting one step closer to the answer. He never gets the answer on the second try.
"Another?"
He nodded.
He worked the third problem. Inching one step closer to the answer. He never gets the answer on the third try.
"Another?"
He nodded, still avoiding eye contact.
He worked the fourth problem.
"Another auntie" he demanded smiling at me. When Lt looks up and asks for another, that's the sign that he's got it.
I've been doing a lot of math lately. Going online trying to get answers, tips and help on algebra. Reading and rereading my little nephew's seventh grade math book. Math is the first thing LT does when he gets home from school. He will call me to let me know he is done. I come over to check his homework, then we'd spend another hour fixing it. If I don't see all the work, I know he has checked the back for the answers. I erase it and make him do it over.
Lt's second quiz was a B.
"My teacher said great job Long in front of the class when she handed back the quiz to me" he said.
"Did that embarrass you?"
"No, it made me feel proud auntie."
Lt's second test was an eighty-eight percent. Not bad for a kid with a D average three weeks ago and a thirty-six year old who never excelled past elementary school math. I guess that just goes to show, you're never too old for do overs.
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