Feeling Discouraged

Pyrrhus

Exactly what i meant, except most students don't care if they didn't understand it properly and go on, if you have an active interest you will definetly care, and then the exams won't look as hard as they seem to.

Chrono

You may be right. It probably is frustration that I've often felt. I kind of do the same that you do, try to figure it out myself. Or, at least get another explination or point of view on the subject he was lecturing on.

Theelectricchild

You guys are right, grades arent the only thing that matter I suppose.

bfd

To answer your first question, yes. Many times. I've found that most of my fustration occured as a result of a combination of poor study habits, unrealistic view of math itself, and poor teachers. Of course it took me some time to realize all this.

To combat some of this fustration I just learned to study smarter. I began to thoroughly read my textbooks. I talked with other students and formed study groups. I sought help before my grade had a chance to flop. The point being is to not give up. Exhaust every feasible possiblity in order to gain that understanding you need. I think with time and effort you'll gain a deeper appreciation and love for the subject. I know I did. And that, to me anyway, is priceless.

Chrono

And what view was that?

danitaber

As far as feeling that I'd never understand Mathematics, No, I've never had that feeling. I have been terrified of it,. though.

I've been so afraid that I only thought I knew it that I couldn't do my homework, or wouldn't answer a question.

But, no, I've never been unable to understand something. Either I'm blocked because I didn't pay enough attention or I'm blocked because I'm scared. It's always temporary.

If one is willing to be humble and try, one can work through anything.

matt grime

"I've never been unable to understand something"

you're either a genius or not doing very difficult maths then.

danitaber

I think you either misinterpreted my post or are jealous
All I'm saying is that given time, effort, and determination, there isn't anything one can't understand (aside from religious issues). It's the fear of not understanding that does the damage.

Say you have a very nasty differential equation on an exam, and you don't know how to solve it, but your professor is not the type to create trick questions. What do you do? You exhaust every method until you find the right one, or the right combination, or your time is up and the answer occurrs to you as you walk out the door.

Say you're in your complex analysis class and everything your professor says goes right over your head. What do you do? You open your textbook, you google your chapter, you go to the library, you visit your professor (or TA, depending on size of school) during office hours and you don't let him/her leave you until you're satisfied as to *why* you're doing this, *how* you're doing this, and *when* you should do this in the future. The point is you hit everyone and everything like a freight train until you "get it". And if you still don't "get it", you sleep on it and in the morning, when your brain has had time to assimilate all of the new data, it's easier. Then you go explain it to your classmates because they've been feeling the same way.

This is what I've found. Maybe it doesn't work for everybody. But I've found, in my experience, that discouragement is temporary and is grounded more in fear than in any inability. I don't believe many people are *unable* to learn things. Some are, but not many. Could it hurt to try this method? No.

I don't know, maybe I am a genius. In which case disregard all of this because it won't apply to "normal" people. Certainly I have been through difficult mathematics courses.

Just trying to offer a different perspective on discouragement and frustration that may help someone faced with it. Kind of, "Don't be discouraged, you can do it! Let your frustration work *for* you" sort of thing. I'm sorry if this kind of pep-talk is offensive; I didn't intend it to be.

Best wishes.

bfd

Well I should have worded it better. I should have said that I had many misconceptions about math.

Chrono

I see what you're saying now. Just keep working at it until the light bulb lights up. I think this can keep me from being frustrated.

Chrono

I'm curious as to what the misconceptions were.

mathwonk

There are many levels of frustration and potential discouragement in math, and life. I have definitely been discouraged in math, both at lack of success in solving problems and by comparing myself to others more succesful or smarter.

After many years, I began to stop comparing myself to others, and tried more and more to just enjoy the subject. I am still learning this attitude. I think danitaber has a good approach. As to people who have never been discouraged, I am puzzled. Maybe they have a secret that I lack. But I have always found that a new day brings new enthusiasm. There is a good reason for having a weekend. People come back renewed and having forgotten the frustrations of last week.

My watchword for years was simply:
never give up,
never give up,
never give up.

I say now, try to focus on the joy of the subject, not on the pride of excelling someone else.

matt grime

Hmm, yep, jealous, sparky, that's it.
Fear is an important issue, however the amount of time required to learn something is in itself something a lot of people perceive as a problem. They almost expect to carry on learning at the rate they did at high school (with the American meanings of phrases like that) or even as freshman. That cannot happen, especially when one goes beyond learning a method and application to what I am biased towards calling real maths (ie with proof).

mathwonk

the wisdom i see emerging here is that one should try not to let genuine frustration, at not solving a particular problem or whatever, turn into discouragement, which is a loss of motivation to continue to try ones best.

Chrono

I've learned that, but it was a good thing I did. Y'all probably don't remember, but I nearly failed algebra in high school. When I got into college I made nothing less than a B in math. Now I'm starting to consider going for my Masters in it. I now think I'm good at math and that's one of the best things that's happend to me.

Sweet & Intellectual

I get stuck all the time, and my first instinct is to give up and go on to the next one, but then I just look at it and talk to it. Tell it's a big bad problem and I can break it down into parts :-P

Getting a tutor is helpful, but I typically only get stuck when I am home alone with nobody to help. Go figure?

I just take it in steps-- go back to the book, look at notes and examples, and before I give up on it, I write questions down, make sure I can't answer them on my own -- and email my instructor.

Parth Dave

One thing that I find really helps is reading ahead. This is especially true for physics, if you have a lecture, find out what its about beforehand, and read about it. It's not too bad understanding if you have some basic understanding of what you are taught.

Oh and for problems, the best thing you can do is take time. First of all, the more problems you do, the better you will be at them. Secondly, if you find a problem that is really killing you, than leave it. Just come back to it later when your mind has had time to refresh and relax. Sometimes you could just be making the smallest stupidest mistake without realizing it.