Science used to be my favorite subject
People are different. And it shows in every aspect of life. How we dress, how we choose our friends, what kind of work we like to do… Even as early as grade school, differences between pupils are apparent. Some enjoy language and literature; others, science and math. It might have a lot to do with Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence or we can just call it personality differences. By whatever name or label, it boils down to the same thing — no two people are alike.
It’s true even among siblings. My daughters, for instance, started to show different inclinations long before high school. Sam was the writer and the philosopher who wrote impressive analytic essays before she was 10. She also happened to assimilate everything computer related almost as soon as she started using computers. Alex was the math wiz and the artist.
The curious thing is that these personal preferences — or strengths, if you prefer to call them that — are not constant throughout life. Before the third grade, I never really know I could write and write well. I was a science person. And I excelled in sports. I could outrun most boys, I hit and threw balls better, faster and farther. But science was my passion. I loved reading about the stars, the constellations, solar systems and galaxies, the planets, the moons and the asteroids. In fact, in all the slum books I signed, I always stated that my ambition was “to be a scientist.”
Then, came the third grade and theme writing and I learned how writing and telling stories came so naturally to me. And I started loving it — enough to get me the Associate Editor post in the school paper. But I didn’t stop loving science. I didn’t even shun math at that point. That came later in high school. Our Algebra teacher wasn’t exactly the nicest nor the most approachable nor the most inspiring. And I started hating math with as much passion as my hatred for her. And because, except for Biology, high school science was mostly math (Chemistry and Physics), I started losing my interest in the sciences too. As if to offset what I was losing, I started writing better and better.
And that’s where Howard Gardner’s theory goes every which way. At least, based on my experience. Although, in essence, I do believe that every person has a unique area of intelligence, I also believe that what a person is good at is not always constant and may sometimes be influenced by external factors. Perhaps, I would never have gone into serious writing — and become a lawyer — if it were not for that unspeakable Algebra teacher back in high school. Perhaps, I’d be a rocket scientist by now. Or the inventor of some alternative source of energy that would have put the OPEC and the oil companies out of business long ago. I’ll never know. But I know I’m good at something and I love doing it. So, I write. And I wonder how many others out there became what they are today because they lost interest in something they were most passionate about or because they discovered they were better at something else.
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I’ve studies that show a trend of
1. lacking encouragement for girls to pursue math and sciences (from teachers and parents) even when they show an aptitude
2. in countries such as u.s.a. for example, math and sciences are impressed upon youngsters as something you’re innately good at. the fact that one can work hard and improve at it is not emphasized. contrast to the Japanese school system which expects a student to learn and “do” math and sciences and there is a lack of attitude that one may not have the aptitude for it.
I’ve always been a literature lover myself.
Yah, that’s another thing. There is this attitude that some areas of expertise are masculine (for the boys) while others are feminine (for the girls). But what if a boy is really good at cooking? It’s good that today, boys and girls all take up Home Economics and Livelihood Education (HELE) and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE). But not too long ago, when both subjects were lumped under Home Economics (HE), they were strictly girl domains.
I had studied those books before: Chemistry the Central Science by Brown and Lemay. The only one looks like Campbell’s Biology.
You’re right, Ma’am. Before graduating from grade school, I wanted to be a scientist, journalist, and doctor at the same time. Hahaha. Now, I’m majoring in a science course!
I wanted to be an astronaut, but when I learned that we dont have this in the Philippines, nag-shift na interest ko. Added to that was the constant teasing of my schoolmates that I cannot be an astronaut since I’m overweight! Now I’m into cooking. hehehe
I’d say that I’m the perfect example of a person who became good in math though practice. When I was in elem, I would get quarterly grades of 55/60 in math. No biggie. I mean back then, it was an accepted belief that one’s either good in math or not. However, come highschool, I had the misfortune (fortune?) of sitting beside a math wizard: she cried whenever she would get a single mistake on our algebra quizzes/tests. The sheer humiliation of dealing with her rather insensitive tantrums drove me to improve my performance in math. I got help from my dad and practiced and practiced. and practiced. After that year, I became not just good at math but spectacular at it (haha). I was getting 99’s not just for tests but for card scores as well. I guess i have a lot to thank said classmate for my turnaround.
These days, I think there’s a growing realization that when it comes to math, you don’t need an extraordinarily high IQ or even a natural propensity for math. Rather, above all, what you need is focus and persistence (by the way, Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in his latest book “Outliers”). Of course, it’s a massive help to have truly patient, encouraging, competent math teachers.
Lace, you know, I don’t remember my Bio book in high school being as complex as the one my kids read. LOL
Jet, LOL I wanted to be an astronomer for a time (specifying what kind of scientist I wanted to become). Like you, I was told no such profession existed in the country.
Scout, that’s the philosophy behind Kumon math. Practice, focus, discipline. Unfortunately, it also entailed additional work and my kids couldn’t fit it into the skeds anymore.
i don’t know why i can’t post any comment on any of your posts when i’m in the office. hahaha
anyway, during my senior years nung high-school, my teachers are either encouraging me to take up art or english courses. pero i still pursue engineering. pero during the time that i was taking entrance exams in UST, wait lister ako for another engineering major (not my 1st list) and b.s. math major in computer science. in the end, i took up and finished the wait list engineering major.
ngayon nagsisisi ako kung bakit di nalang ako nag-computer science. di sana hindi ko hinihintay ang alas singko ng hapon from 8 in the morning. at ang friday from monday
Engineering ba yung uso nung magco-college ka, Kotsengkuba? Because that’s also a factor ha. Like there was a time when everyone was taking accounting. Recently, IT and nursing.
P.S. I hear that my site is banned in a lot of offices here and abroad. I really wonder why. Is my writing too agitating?
Fortunately for me, I can access your site on my office computer here in Toronto…huge blessing!
Early on I loved Art and Music.I took piano lessons but I’m not a Juilliard school material.Reading about the lives and works of the Old Masters occupy my spare time although I can’t even draw a cartoon of myself.My meager allowance was spent on records of my favorite singers however I was fully aware that my voice is not worthy of a glee club
membership.But these was my passion and still is.
At 16, I surprised my parents when I told them that
I was accepted in U.S.T. and needed tuition money.
Afraid to lose a friend made me decide to follow her. She was a great influence in my life.
The rest was history.
My gift…serving people.
My profession….nursing.
i wanted to be a Teacher. i used to teach neighborhood kids in our house just for fun. as i grew up, i became very impatient. i don’t know how Teachers do it. i dabble about homeschooling my son once in a while but after helping him with homework everyday, i get smack back to reality. there is no way in hell i could teach other kids, ever.
I never thought I’d become a teacher! And to think how my teachers hated me at the time. I was their worst nightmare. One thing for sure is that I could never have been a doctor. Biology book? I pawned it so that I can watch movies or gamble. That was how bad I was. As fate would have it, na karma ata ako. Sabagay, I teach what I really know about.
I was clueless and unsure of what I wanted to take in college. Due to the proddings of sister, I took up B.S. Accountancy. Parents are ideally the best encourager. Connie, you are really doing a great job in encouraging your two daughters in pursuing their passions. By the way, I loved Math in high school, but I became a disaster in it in college. My College Algebra instructor was a master in making a disaster of himself in front of us. He was confused of the right answers, its the students who dictated the right ones. Hahaha. People can become better and at the same time enjoy other pursuits as long as they set their hearts to excel.
Tito Rolly, you pawned your book? Where? there’s a pawnshop for books? Gee, I never knew.
Oliver, kasi, I was of that generation when parents dictated what the children’s profession should be. Buti na lang suwail ako hahahaha
Hi Connie! Isn’t it amazing how certain choices we make determine the most important events in our lives? Like the choice of what to study and where to work and where to live. I don’t know how most of the things will turn out but I do know which were the choices I made. I find that keeping track of important choices and decisions is like having a road map.
That was during the 70s sa Recto. I remember yung Biology book ko, 2 pesos ang sangla, eksakto para sa sine. Taga Mapua ko nun sa Doroteo Jose. Bad ano.
when i was in first grade, i enrolled in ballet class.i was really in heaven.i told my parents that this is what i wanna be when i grow up.but my father opposed to that.he said,there is no money in that.period.when i was in college, i told them,ok, i want to be a nurse.they said,no,we don’t have enough money.you can’t.take an education course.i don’t want to be a teacher since i know it is not what i wanna be.but heck,i took it just for my mother’s sake.after graduation, i worked in japan,you get the picture.now, already 30 years old, with 2 children,though the body is not as nimble as before,not as flexible as before still wants to be a ballet dancer.period.
I hope this life here is just a phase of a long journey of consciousness.
Math used to be my favorite subject. But when I entered college, na shock ako sa Math ng UP! Nakakaloka, Math 11 lang, ang hirap nang ipasa! So I got discouraged. Now, I’m the only one in our family whose career is not related to Math. I have three brothers who are engineers, two sisters who are both Math major teachers. Gosh, come to think of it – ako nga lang ang hindi nakalinya sa Math. And I’m afraid it got carried over to my kids – they don’t excel in Math either.
Karmi, I was just telling my husband a few days ago — if we are aware of all our options and where each one leads at every moment of our lives, we won’t make any decisions we’ll regret later. Of course, it makes life less exciting too as the element of mystery disappears.
Tito Rolly, college na ka nun? hehehehe
gingervp, you can still dance. Maybe not professionally but you’ll still get that sense of fulfillment that one only gets doing what one is passionate about.
Rhodora, Math 11! LOL If it weren’t for Math 11 I would have finished my AB in 3 years. Lintek na yan hahahaha