My thoughts on teaching math, and teaching to teach!

When I was in elementary school I always struggled with math.  I always felt like my teachers would go over it one way in class, then it would seem different on the tests.  I think I just memorized the information then repeated it on the tests.  Once I got older and the problems became more complicated and I was required put everything I had learned together in one problem which really challenged me.  I never learned how to apply what I was learning to other math problems.  It is like the information never "clicked" in my head.  As I have taken math courses in the past two years along side education classes, everything is "clicking".  What I feel has helped me the most is learning how I learn best.  I have learned what skills work best for me, for instance, I learn best through actions.  When I physically do something I remember so much more with a deeper understanding.  Students should be encouraged to try different methods of learning if they are not understanding the information. I hope as a future educator I can teach my students how to learn so that math will make sense and they can use these techniques in all their other classes!