Told you so

Oh, those three little wonderful words we love to hear.  They're so grown-up like, aren't they? 

Madolyn has entered junior high and loves everything about it except Pre-Algebra.  I get that.  I had a strong distaste for Algebra in any form, Pre, I, II, III, etc. I have to be careful about encouraging her in the subject when really I want to say I get that it seems pointless and you may never have to use it.  I have given her the speech several times.  I begin it with the sentence noted above and then continue with, "But you have to do it because you have no choice.  Regardless of how unimportant and stupid you think it is, you have to take it and you must pass it or you will never get out of high school."

I struggled with the subject when I was in school too.  I also struggled with the teacher we had for it.  Oh man, you talk about butting heads.  That was Coach H and I.  Oil and water.  There was no way I was ever going to agree with anything that man said just because.  (Yes, I have somewhat of a stubborn side to me.)

He may have been a better teacher than I give him credit for, but he wasn't too helpful to me, and part of that could have been my attitude :)  He was one of those teachers who understood it, didn't understand why you didn't get it and didn't think he should have to explain himself twice...so he usually didn't.  He didn't have much patience for me (the feeling was mutual).  The first opportunity I had to take a math class (Geometry) with another teacher, I jumped ship on him...and never turned back.

Well, that's not necessarily true.  Just to prove my point, (I know, I know) I returned to his class and took one of his tests to show him that I knew the material and could pass it because I had a teacher who actually taught me.  (And I did pass.)  I realize now that could have been due to the fact that I get Geometry because I can see it and Algebra is something beyond my simple imagination, but at the time I was all about proving my point.

Coach H had this poster in his classroom and it gave all the reasons (professions) why you needed Algebra.  He would constantly refer to that poster whenever someone started in on "when am I ever going to use this?"  I remember telling him I would find something to do that would not include Algebra in any form.

I returned to the school after graduating and told him, specifically, that Court Reporting hadn't been on that poster and that's what I had pursued.  After leaving high school, I have never, ever once used Algebra in my profession or during my schooling.  I know it has its purpose, but I took out a route that didn't include it for a reason. 

The other night I sat down to help Madolyn with her Pre-Algebra homework and instantly my head was spinning.  Sitting there trying to figure out how to do that stuff makes me feel like such an idiot sometimes...but I have been trying.  Just the other night when we finished, all I could think about was telling Coach H "told you so" when I told him I'd found something to do in life without using Algebra.  And Hallelujah for that.