Today I had the opportunity to sit in on a Trig class as part of a pilot program called Teaching Squares. (I have also previously visited an astronomy and zoology class.) While sitting in this class, the following happened:
1. I realized (reaffirmed is more accurate, but go with me here) that math beyond algebra is definitely not my thing. Not only did I have no idea what was going on, but I also didn’t care. It was especially apparent because the astronomy teacher (who was also visiting the class) was super into it and solving problems with the class, and I was just sitting there having flashbacks to when I took pre-calc in undergrad and trig in high school.
2. I loved my undergrad experience, but I really wish I had known more about community colleges and/or that dual enrollment was available when I was a senior. Taking a required math class that I had no interest in would have been SO MUCH better in a small class of ~25 students than the lecture hall experience I had.
3. This experience, along with a chat I had with my students a couple of days ago, reminded me how little effort I put into classes that I didn’t care about or knew I just needed to satisfy a gen ed credit. It gave me a little more compassion/empathy for my students who are doing the bare minimum to get by.
4. Visiting the math class after visiting the astronomy and zoology class also reminded me that I could and would be engaged in a class that is not in my area at all as long as I’m willing to listen. Like I said, I tuned out most of the math stuff (this is not the instructor’s fault–part of it is that it’s the end of the semester, so I didn’t have the refresher of some of the foundational stuff I needed to follow along; also, to be fair, I did learn some stuff) but I did learn some things. Same with the zoology and astronomy stuff.
The Englishist 
I’m a lot like you when it comes to math higher than Algebra. For me it’s because I can’t visualize what they’re talking about.
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Sounds like a cool program. What will happen after the pilot?
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They’ll tweak it and offer it to more faculty.
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Motivation/purpose — your post reminds me of the key roles those factors play in learning.
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This sounds like me! I hate math and am definitely not at all interested in it. Which also makes me very aware of my own students’ ability to pay attention to a lesson that they may not particularly like. Though I understand the importance of knowing a little bit about everything, I’ve wondered what it would be like to have a “focus” (similar to majoring in something when you get to college) at a younger age so that students want to pay attention. Just a thought.
I love how attuned you are to your thoughts about this subject though! Thanks so much for sharing!
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I’ve often wondered what it’d be like to go back to college and take those math/science/business classes that bored me to tears when I was a student. Would I appreciate them more now? Sound like you did, for your own reasons– which all makes sense to me.
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