Travelogue Day Three- 3 rd Hour

Math through the eyes of an Adult Kid

Jessica Jimenez Ramos


The topic of homework and family is still a major struggle for my student.  She has reassured me she is focusing on her homework, but I think her main concern is still her family.  As we sit down to review her studies, she is still inquiring about adult topics and ways to improve her life here in the United States.

As always I am ready to play multiple roles, cause I have learned that being an educator takes more than just teaching a student the subjects of school, but being a friend and a mentor.  We talk about school, her friends and I attempt to review her math.  I find that most of her Math questions, even though they are questions regarding Math focus around the life of her family.  She ask about bills, and how people make money to pay rent, all trying very hard to relate these questions to her math class.

I am confident when I say I think my student understands the subject of math very well, but her personal life has become more important, and it causes a distraction.  My student is not struggling with understanding math, or even English, she is struggling with being a child.  My student has adult problems but lives in a child's body.  For the rest of the day after we finish her math I answer as many questions as I can, even though I know they have nothing to do with math. I am hoping if I answer all of these questions next week we can focus on math.

If anything I will say I answered all the questions she could possibly have and I am hoping she will focus on math next week.  I am determined to make sure my student sees the importance of her studies as well as the childhood she is missing.  I wish she could focus on her math, at this point it would be easier to explain.