I hold a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master Degree in Applied Mathematics.
While working as an engineer, I volunteered my time teaching math to 7th and 8th graders under the auspices of a National Science Foundation in collaboration with Digital Equipment Corporation (now part of Hewlett-Packard) in the Shrewsbury and Maynard Massachusetts middle school system.
During my stint, I discovered first hand that the stereotype of math is of an over complicated foreign jargon which distances students from the subject. In fact, a significant problem I witnessed is how didactic teaching approaches failed to make the connection between math, how inherently capable are all students in relating to it and how natural is applying it to solve day to day problems.
Making that connection is achieved by teaching math for what is is: a symbols language devised by real people with ordinary problems.
Math is a set of many languages, so as any person can learn a language, so you (or your student) can learn, master and thrive in their newly discovered inherent ability.
As a teacher/mentor/tutor, it is my mission to demystify math and to turn-on apathetic 7th/8th graders students where we lose most of our talent.
By the way, the fact that it is frustrating at times just shows that it is not lack of talent, but that you are true and honest in the search of understanding.
Let's start the discovery process.
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