NaBloPoMo '08 #19: Scientific Dreams

Last night I dreamed about scientific notation. I was trying to work out (all night, I would add) how scientific notation looks. Not quite like an exponent, but there's an exponent involved.... I was shuffling around numbers and tens and exponents and multiplication signs until the wee hours of the morning until I finally (in my dream) recalled exactly how scientific notation works.

(I know. But I've only recently become involved with scientific notation, since I've started down my road to science geekdom.)

And then I went to algebra class this morning, where ....

we were doing logarithmic functions involving scientific notation.

Prescient. And clairvoyant. And scientific.

NaBloPoMo '08 #17: Momentary Panic

This morning, as algebra instruction, continued, I remembered why I never liked mathematics in high school or college. My instructor started us on logarithmic functions. I do have a faint memory of logarithms from high school. Much more powerful is my memory of overwhelming panic when faced with logarithms.

OK, it's been 20-some-odd years since then, but didn't this morning bring back exactly the same form of panic? Lucky for me, I'm a grown-up now. I still don't exactly understand what's going on, but I know I'm capable of figuring it out. Easily. By reading and working on it.

I wish I could go back to that high school girl and tell her to take a deep breath, bring home her algebra book, and figure it out for herself. That's what the grown-up me will be doing.

NaBloPoMo '08 #14: B Minus Student

This morning I woke up late, skipped a meeting, but didn't skip class. I thought about . Oh, yes, I considered skipping my algebra class, but the good girl in me didn't let go and I went on to my class, though I was about 10 minutes class. When I arrived, the instructor was already handing back the exam. Since said exam was only last night, I can imagine him staying up really late to get it graded.

When I got mine back, I was disappointed to find that I received a B minus. It's odd, really, because on my first exam, I thought I made a B only to find out that I had actually received an A. Then on this second exam, I thought that I had an A only to find out that I received a B. Truthfully, as the instructor went over the exam, I should have had some points taken off, but I chose to keep quiet about that. Several students in my class (freshmen, I think) were quite annoyed with choices made by the graders about partial credit. My take is that partial credit is a bonus, so you should keep your mouth shut about it. Not to mention the points that could have been taken off of my exam and weren't. Was that because I'm a professor? I'm not sure -- I'm chalking it up to a late night and possible inebration.

NaBloPoMo '08 #13: Algebra Exam and Other News

In about 30 minutes here, I'll be taking my second algebra exam. Just a bit nervous, but not too worried.

I did email my students this morning to tell them that we would not be working with the article, but instead I would give them some time to work on this big massive project from hell that is due at the end of the semester. However, being the slackers they are, most of them didn't take advantage of the time I gave them in class.

Then I got to have a conversation with the student who sits in my class with her angry face on all the time. Huh. Says she's not actually angry. Really? Then why do you look like you're going to pinch someone's head off, as my southern friends like to say?

Hmm?

Losing It

No, not my mind.

I got on the scale this morning, expecting to have gained a couple of pounds, due to not exercising, not really paying attention to what I eat (although, see below for a caveat), and generally being stressed and anxious about life and teaching and etc.

Instead, I had lost three pounds.

That is a shocker!

I can only attribute this loss to the daily riding of my new cruiser, the cutting back of carbs and booze in an attempt to lower my triglycerides, and perhaps aforementioned stress and anxiety?

Anyway, I'll take it.

In other news, the students in my college algebra class yesterday had me rolling my eyes and snorting with laughter. First, there is the fact that my instructor is an undergraduate and looks like he is about 12. Granted, he seems to know his math. Then there are the two girls in the back row (and yes, I'm using "girls" advisedly, because they look and act like 8th-graders who are getting to go to the prom with a senior) who NEVER STOP TALKING the entire class. The instructor doesn't take roll, so I'm not sure why they are there. Certainly not to learn anything.

And then there was the poor kid on the back row with a cold, who blew his/her nose at least 30 times in a 50-minute period. No kidding. It got to the point where every time I heard a nose blowing from behind me, I started giggling and couldn't stop. Seriously. I think I even snorted a couple of times.

I'll post more later about the interesting computer system for doing our homework online, which I love but the other students hate.

For now, I'm off to teach a class, attend a meeting (with pizza, which I will not eat), teach another class, attend a meeting, and then go to a volleyball game. Ha. Crazy day.