Statement of Personal Growth
If I was a high school student who had just completed the Baker's Choice unit I would describe my development as follows. In this unit I have not only learned new mathematical concepts and skills, but also about collaborating with others and writing about math. I learned how to solve linear programming problems when at the beginning of the unit I did not even know how to graph inequalities or what a feasible region was. One thing that helped me develop my mathematical skills was working in groups. At the beginning of the unit I was sometimes shy about sharing my work with my peers because I did not know if my answers were correct. My group members were always very supportive and I learned that one of the most helpful aspects of working in groups is that your group members can help you when you are stuck on a problem. I really liked that everyone shared their opinions on how to approach problems. Then we would combine the best aspects of each approach to form the most clear and accurate solution to the given problem. Thus in this unit I have learned the importance of sharing your ideas in a group and listening to the ideas of others.
I have also have improved my presentation skills. By doing multiple presentations in this unit I have improved upon clearly articulating my ideas so that my peers can understand them. Before starting this unit I could complete math problems, but sometimes struggled with explaining my solutions and thinking. Watching other students present helped me improve my presentations. I think this will be a skill that I will use in future units, classes, and my career.
I have improved the most in the area of writing about my thought processes. Before this unit I did not write about math at all. Now I know how to describe the steps I took to arrive at an answer and justify why that answer is correct. I also now understand the importance of describing each of my attempts to solving a problem, even if I find that they are incorrect. I now see that solving a complex math problem is a process and part of that process is attempting the problem in incorrect ways. Reflecting on why those methods are incorrect can help you to find the correct answer. I think that I could improve upon my writing by being more specific and detailed. That way when I review my writing to study for an assessment so I can better understand how I approached each problem. I also want to improve my clarity and preciseness so others can better understand my thought processes and ideas, which is extremely important in mathematics.
I have also have improved my presentation skills. By doing multiple presentations in this unit I have improved upon clearly articulating my ideas so that my peers can understand them. Before starting this unit I could complete math problems, but sometimes struggled with explaining my solutions and thinking. Watching other students present helped me improve my presentations. I think this will be a skill that I will use in future units, classes, and my career.
I have improved the most in the area of writing about my thought processes. Before this unit I did not write about math at all. Now I know how to describe the steps I took to arrive at an answer and justify why that answer is correct. I also now understand the importance of describing each of my attempts to solving a problem, even if I find that they are incorrect. I now see that solving a complex math problem is a process and part of that process is attempting the problem in incorrect ways. Reflecting on why those methods are incorrect can help you to find the correct answer. I think that I could improve upon my writing by being more specific and detailed. That way when I review my writing to study for an assessment so I can better understand how I approached each problem. I also want to improve my clarity and preciseness so others can better understand my thought processes and ideas, which is extremely important in mathematics.