My

Mathematical

Autobiography

Even on the first day of school, you come to math class with a lot of baggage: not just pencils and paper, but your previous experiences with math and math classes. This assignment is your opportunity to think about those experiences and tell me something about them so I can get to know you, and teach you better. Take some time to reflect on the following questions, and write out careful answers on a page or two to be handed in.

You need not write a complete essay, but please do write in complete sentences, make the effort to express complete thoughts. Please, if you choose to handwrite the assignment, write on only one side of each sheet of paper and PRINT.

  • What is your name, your neighborhood, and your previous school
  • Overall, how do you feel about math? Have you always felt that way, or were there specific experiences or moments that have given you that feeling? If the latter, what were they, and why were they important?
  • What have your best and worst experiences been with math (in or out of class)? Try to be specific—“I had a really bad teacher” or “Class was the business” doesn’t give your current instructor much insight into how you learn. Is there a particular problem or topic that you liked or disliked?
  • Have you ever used computers in math or science classes? In what ways (using what programs)? What other computer experiences have you had (it’s okay to say “just playing video games” or “chatting on myspace, facebook or twitter)?
  • Have you had any class that has changed how you felt about math, and, if so, how?
  • How do you expect that this class will be similar to previous classes? Different?
  • As best you can predict, are there ways in which you expect that this class will be hard for you? Easy? Do you expect it to be enjoyable? What do you hope to get out of this class? What worries you most?
  • If you run into mathematical trouble, what do you plan to do in order to get back on track? What do you expect your teacher to do?
  • Is there anything you’d like to change about your own approach to math? If so, what?
  • What is something you wouldn’t expect me to know about you? This could be something like your favorite musician, the fact that you’re a world-class track star, or that you never really liked …—but it should be something that I wouldn’t know from seeing your name on a class list. This question is optional, but gives you a chance to tell me something about who you are outside my classroom.

PLEASE, make sure that you write thoughtful biographies. YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.