Our rental house, about 1500 square feet of damp stucco and thin pine floorboards from the 1920's, sported a flower garden. When I moved in, I didn't pay much attention to plants; after all, I killed most of the houseplants that I had ever owned. First bloomed the Peonies. Each large lacy fluffy light pink billow was so fragrant that the scent of one in a simple spherical bowl would fill the house. Different flowers bloomed in succession until the roses, the many roses, bloomed. The wirey and pokey stalks of plumes spread across the yard in wild wonder, blissfully taking over all the play area. Our neighbor, Barbara, a proud nonagenarian, leaned over the fence; "I have some clippers you could borrow for those rose bushes," she said. I smiled, knowing that if I did anything to these plants then surely they would die.
One morning, I found the clippers and some gloves on a table in our back yard. I began using the clippers more like a sythe on the rose bushes so the size of our yard would be increased, allowing for more play space. Later that day, I returned the clippers to Barbara and thanked her. She smiled and gently said, "You know, if you cut the roses at an angle five leaves below the last bloom, then your roses would blossom again." I smiled back, knowing that I could not have cared less about the roses.
It was only 2 weeks later when I found myself cutting the roses as she had recommended, and not even a month later when our world became filled with Elizabeth, Sunrise, Blood Orange, and Pink Beauty roses.
And so it went with peaches. Bushels appeared on my porch from well-meaning friends. "Surplus," they said, "From the orchards in Palisade and Fruita. Can them." I smiled, knowing that I didn't like peaches and liked cooking even less. Clearly, the peaches would rot. Barbara said canning was easy. "Would you like to borrow my pot for a try? I have some extra pectin and can show you an easy technique for removing the skin."
It was barely 10 days before the lids of my first set of Jammin' Peaches began making friendly popping noises as the peaches cooled inside the pint glass jars.
Some people know me now as Ms Peach; some folks make annual deliveries of their surplus in the hopes that I'll prevent food waste. Regardless, my life is richer and sweeter for finally listening to my neighbor Barbara.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI really like how the dynamic of the cutting the roses at an angle five leaves after the last bloom and how it made a difference in the rose bushes. It made them look more elegant and fuller. I like how this idea of roses lead to the peaches. This blog post shows a good idea of how one idea can lead to another even when you don't really enjoy doing what it is, but it still comes out to a great product just like in math class.
-Jocelyn X.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI think that this blog is about trying new things, and watching the progress of items grow and change over time. In addition, I also believe it’s about learning to how improve on new concepts, and after all of this, sitting back and viewing the final result of your effort and hard work on something that you never even knew that you liked. I think that this is a good representation of the year that is before us, – just like how all these events happened at a rental house, it is a place where you temporarily stay, just like this academic year. As a final reflection, I hope that I’ll be able to learn and adapt to new topics and subjects this year, just as you did with the roses and peaches.
-Andrew Chu
TPC
ReplyDeleteI feel like this blog does a good job of getting the point across that while at first, one may not like or may not think the thing they are doing is important, like you did with the roses and then with the peaches, but after time, one may come to value and cherish what they once disliked, thus growing as a person. This change in attitude may relate to how I approach math class because hopefully, with practice and after time, I will come to understand the math better and consequently, I will grow as a learner and as a thinker. Therefore, I believe you would like us to come away with the idea of growth from this reading. For me, the best way to learn math is to do problems hands on and to physically take notes. I have found that if I am sick or absent and I have to get the notes from somebody else, I don't understand the concepts as well as if I was in class. While I do not love math, I do not dislike it either, and I certainly never give up.
GA2
ReplyDeleteFrom this post, I think that this blog is about adaptation and changing how you think to fit a situation. Instead of ignoring a situation that you are indifferent or even bitter towards, you can adapt to it and create something that you may end up loving. The flowers, for example, were not cared for, and you wouldn't have been much less happy if you had simply continued to cut them back. But by following the advice of your neighbor, you were able to adapt, help the flowers flourish, and ultimately made yourself happier. The peaches were a hindrance at first, and you were reluctant to try canning them. By simply trying something out of your comfort zone, you were able to turn the unfavorable situation of too many peaches to a surplus of jam that could be used for new things.
This can relate to math class, because in many unfortunate situations, there is a way to twist it in your favor. If a difficult math problem is in your way, it is easy to try different things or ask your friends for suggestions. Then, you can use these alternate methods to solve the problem in a way that you would not have thought of otherwise.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI think this blog post is a lesson to not waste precious things. Even if roses and peaches are not things which you personally liked, you still saw that in their own right, they had use or beauty. Therefore, you took an opportunity and made something out of it, while accommodating yourself to new ideas and growing as a person. You saw the potential that the roses held would have been decimated if you had cut them, and the same with the peaches if you had let them rot. While it took you about 2 weeks before you tried out your neighbor's method of cutting the roses in a way which allowed them to grow again, it took you a slightly shorter time to start canning the peaches, therefore symbolizing that the more you try new things, the less unsettling they may seem. In addition, I believe that the imagery of how the roses could be cut in a way which allowed them to grow again brought a nice dimension to this post, as it may symbolize how one small thing can change the entire outcome. I also think this can also mena that decisions, even if they are bad, can be fixed if you take the right caution and attitude.
I think this all applies heavily to math class, because math is an opportunity, and if we make something out of it we may just end up loving it. In the least, the effort will help us mature and learn about ourselves and the world around us. The more opportunities like this that we take, even if it is simply homework or tests in math class, the more comfortable we will get with making use of that which scares us or which we dislike, and the more we will challenge ourselves. As my grandmother always said, know your enemy. So before we make math our enemy, maybe we should know math.
TPC
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is about the opportunities that life gives us should be taken advantage of to learn something fun and new. Though you had trouble relating to your neighbor Barbara is the field of "rose bush trimming" and a past of killing plants, a fresh start in you're new rental house and a right mindset is all you need to learn something new. it can apply directly to math class because we are learning new things all of the time and some new subjects can be intimidating at first, but if you put your mind to learning something new and study hard, it can blossom into a good grade on a test or homework and you can prove to yourself that new opportunities aren't as scary as they look, even if you doubt yourself at first. I think you want us to carry away the idea that this school year will be full of new opportunities to learn and explore and we should take every chance we get. I always try and approach mathematics with the right mindset. I will try every problem assigned and if help is needed, I can always turn to a parent, friend, or teacher for assistance. The bottom line is to always try and do your best and put a full effort into all your work and maybe your math grade can turn out like a jar of Ms. Mariner's peach jam!
GA2
ReplyDeleteWow... I feel that there is a connection from roses and peaches to math. Peaches. One of the tastiest fruits, yet so hard to come up with recipe to use peaches. All you can do with peaches is eat them. Math is the most interesting, yet most difficult of all of the school subjects. There is no way to sugar coat a math lesson. All a teacher can do is teach it and all a student can do is take notes on the material presented for later.
This blog is really about math and our approach to learning it. The over load of peaches is how our life will look like if we fall behind and fall behind some more. We end up getting an over load of homework to catch up on and we really aren't internalizing the information at this point. We are just memorizing it for the test/ final. If you made something everyday from those peaches, you would not have such a large amount in the long run. And peaches make great smoothies, to boot. Your friend Barbra is like the teacher. Insisting that you do more than the bare minimum. The best that you can do. That way your grade (the rosebush) doesn't go downhill from there. The thorns on the roses are the problems we have in math. We have to get through those before we get the beautiful rose in our house.
I approach math the cautious way: unsure and pricking myself with every thorn possible. In spite of that I love math more than some other subjects. The rigorous note taking in class and being able to ask questions in class helps me do the best in class.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI think that this blog is about how somebody's perspective on something can change. In this example, you didn't appreciate the roses and thought that they would die, but after trying to trim them you discovered that you could tend for a plant without it dying. Your perspective on peaches also changed. You went from hating them to loving them. This can be applied to almost any situation in life, including math. If you let yourself try something new you may find a new passion and really discover that you love it. Your whole perspective can change.
I have actually experienced this with math. I hated math in elementary school because it was so boring, but during 7th grade, my perspective changed because I started having fun. Now, while I don't love math, I also don't hate it.
TPC
ReplyDeleteThis blog appears to be about new experiences and exploring things that we never knew before while giving a place for expression that time might not exist for in class. It aspires that our class will create some wonderful memories just as the peaches did for Grand Junction. An advantage to these blogs is that they allow us as students with each other and with you to learn more about one another on a more personal level.
When I read this post, my first thought was about how we should not be afraid to accept suggestions to improve our situations. When Barbara suggested cutting the roses at a certain angle (haha, on a very simplistic level this relates to math because of the mere mention of angles) you were hesitant at first but you learned from what was not working. Indirectly, this speaks to how we as students should not be shy in asking for help in class or outside of class because there is no harm in it and it actually provides a much greater benefit for everyone involved. I think this is the message that we should carry away: No one can master a certain skill on their own and by seeking for advice we might discover skill and passion that we would have never imagined.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis blog is important in many ways. Maintenance of the peaches and roses were obviously something you really didn't care about in the beginning, you thought you couldn't grow them, couldn't try and take care of them, because the fear that they would die. After a very little push from you neighbor, something inspired you, maybe it was they beauty of the roses, the kind words and gestures of your neighbor or maybe something inside of you just said, "come on, let's give this whole gardening thing another shot!" Whatever it was that gave you that drive, opened your eyes to a hobby that you still seem to enjoy, and takes you back to the warm summer days in your rental house in Grand Junction Colorado.
Though I don't think math will bring me back some warm, relaxing, summer memories, I see a lot of parallels between this blog and my past (and hopeful future) with math. My personal relationship with math is a lot like my relationship with running. I want to so badly be good at both but they aren't things you can just wake up one morning and be good at. I run as much as possible, I say I really like it when I talk to people, hoping to convince myself that I do actually like it, but in the end of the day, when I go out on a run, 80% of my just wants to plop down in the middle of the street and give up. That's a lot like my relationship with math! Just like you loved the sweet smell of the flowers in your garden, I love organizing my notes, keeping my binder clean and preparing for class, but when it comes down to it, math just doesn't click for me.
I thought that this story showed that if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade (or in this case peaches make jelly). It also shows that even though you don’t like something at first, you may enjoy it once you’ve done it. Math is like that. The word math makes many people I know from my previous schools groan and drop their heads onto their desks. But they will still do the math, and sometimes they’ll enjoy it, but mostly, they just complain, but they’ll never know unless they try it. There aren’t any people at academy that I have seen that act this way, and I think it is because of this attitude that Ms. Mariner has towards the flowers and the peaches. Students at academy have this attitude towards school. Regardless of the kind of work or if the love it or hate it, they still always try to do a great job at it and over succeed.
ReplyDeleteI will approach math many ways, it all depends on how the lesson is expressed. If the lesson was easy to understand and is presented in a clear manner, then math is easy and usually fun. But if the lesson is expressed poorly, and the concept is difficult, I tend to not like math as much. I do become frustrated with math quite a bit, but I do get through. I have also always needed someone to tell me how math works. I can’t just read it in the book, I can’t understand it that way.
Math has never been my favorite subject, but never my least, it’s always been a good class. But like the Jamm’n Peaches, something you hate, or in this case something that I’m OK with, can become something you love. The first time that I really had fun with math was when I first learned algebra. Learning how to solve for x in this kind of equation was really fun for me; x – 6 = 8. It was the first set of math problems that I understood, liked, and could do faster and better than anyone else in the class. They remain my favorite math problems, solving for x in an algebraic equation.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is about learning to be open-minded and try new things even if it isn't what you're used to. Fear of the past shouldn't prevent you from trying new things. Just because you thought you weren't able to maintain the flowers it changed your perspective and therefore; decided not to even mess with the flowers. Once you decided to cut the roses with the advice from your neighbor you realized that maybe it was possible for you to maintain all the beautiful flowers; and all because you tried. Throughout the process you even gained a new hobby, making jam. The combination of the smell of roses and jam reminds you of your home in Grand Junction, positive memories of how changing the way you think to try new things can lead to experiences you never thought possible.
Unlike most people math is an enjoyable subject for me. Algebra seems to be easier for me unlike geometry. Geometry isn't as easy as algebra for me, although I do find them both to be challenging, it's more difficult for me to understand it. Like your love for the smell of the roses and peaches, I love when I understand the material. Math has always been one of my stronger subjects and I hope I can keep it that way.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis story and how we approach math share many similarities. You looked the whole concept of growing a garden the same way many look at math. At first we really aren't trying to do anything with the math we learn, we simply add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers, the same way you put off taking care of the garden. Soon we realize that math is not that simple, we add in variables and fractions, etc., just the same as you began to try and take care of the garden. At first we stumble and make mistakes, but with the help of our teachers (like Barbara) we get up and try again! Slowly but surely, we gain more and more skills and soon enough we are maintaining and putting to use the math concepts we learn every day. The message here is that no matter how badly we think we are doing, or how badly we think we will screw things up, with patience and persistence, we can surprise ourselves with how much math can teach us.
While math may not be my favorite subject, that doesn't mean I'm not good at it. With some hard work and time the most complicated problems can be broken down fairly easily. I have never really struggled with math before, but there have been a few times where a certain chapter or problem gets me confused. Like with the peaches and roses in your story, you can't just give up on math. Sometimes you have to ask question and need help because nobody understands everything. I've found that math can be challenging, but if you study and keep to it, the hardest problems can be as easy and 1+1.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis story contains a lot of similarities to how most people would approach math. Many people find it extremely challenging and don't really enjoy it very much. Even when people offer advice, we don't care to try it because it doesn't really make a difference to us (like your neighbor and the garden). As time moves through school however, we must try to be the best we can at math and are forced to use the information given to us to try and make it as simple as possible for ourselves. As we continue the fear of failure sticks in the back of our minds. After incorporating the tools and tricks given to us however, we find that math is really not very complicated, but in fact very simple. When we find it easier to do it gives us a sense of accomplishment and can make math fun and enjoyable.
In all honesty math is my favorite subject. When i was younger my family really taught me math that was above my age level and it was the main subject i did in school. Ever since then i loved to think about everything in numbers. It makes everything more simple for me when there are numbers involved that allow you to work with them. I don't usually find math to be terribly challenging, but if i don't understand something i usually get it with a little bit of practice. Geometry uses less numbers than algebra which has forced me to think in a new way, but still in a way that i enjoy.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis story not only relates to math, but relates to how many people look at ordinary situations that they are uncomfortable with. Coming in with a past experience of not ever being good with house plants somewhat made you turn away, claiming that nothing you could do could ever benefit them. This is much the same in math, where people will not have a good year, and come into the next year automatically assuming that the next year will be the same or even worse. As the story progresses, it still seems like you did at one point attempt to help the roses in some way, though any though that it may help was diminished, but the only part that was important was the whole effort part. It is also the same in math, that once you try, you will be opened up to a whole new world, and could end up liking it, or discovering some way to contribute to the world of mathematics. After that point in math, and in the story, you do more and find that the roses are more colorful and prettier because of something you did, and you grow more comfortable with them, and eventually end up with something you like, in this case the peach growing. So essentially this story relates to life and to mathematics in that once you try something, you might find in it that you like, and from there you'll be unstoppable in what you do.
By the way, I absolutely love Grand Junction. Every year my family takes a week long camping trip up there to Grand Mesa, which as you know is just about 45 minutes outside of there. Well, every year we stop on the way in and pick up a dozen ears of corn which are the best i've ever tasted. When we head home we buy probably about 100 peaches every year, and they are simply incredible, so sweet and juicy. Canning them later is great, but nothing beats eating one fresh by itself!
Oh, wonderful. That's why we loved living there. Corn was from just south of town. Every now and again it's available somewhere in ALbuquerque --look for 'Olathe' corn. Going to the National Monument was awesome, too -- all those rock monoliths were fab. We used to ski on the Grand Mesa. Glad you've been there and glad you loved it.
DeleteGA2
ReplyDeleteI think that this blog is really about trying new things that you would't normally like, and succeeding at things that you never suspected you would succeed at. In this story, you thought that you could never succeed at keeping roses because they would surely die, but it was really about thinking you could never succeed at math when in reality, you could if you simply tried. Its relevant to approaching this math class because you should never assume you cant succeed at something until you try it and get tips, just as you got from your neighbor. Many people simply assume they are completely incapable of ever understanding many of the more difficult concepts in math, although with a little bit of help and some instruction, they can thrive better than they ever thought they would.
For me, math has never been easy, and has never been my best subject. As of the past year or so, I have been trying to approach math from a new point of view. So, rather than seeing it as the worst subject that I can never and will never be good at, I now see it as an opportunity for me to get better at something and prove to myself that I am capable of improving, even in the areas I'm really not comfortable with. For me, the most effective way of learning math is not to try and try over again because that only frustrates me and makes it worse. The best way for me is to have it thoroughly explained the first time in complete detail, take expansive notes, and then try several different problems so things dont get repetitive and frustrating.
In this blog, you write about understanding and accepting your view on a certain issue, and being willing to challenge that view and try something new with a smile on your face and a good attitude. Your adamint opinion on caring for the roses and using the peaches changed with the gentle nudge from your friendly neighbor. You ended up enjoying your new-found knowledge of roses and the delicious taste and smell of freshly canned peaches. This is a very general message towards many things in life. If there's a will, there's a way. You should never let previous opinions and intimidations stop you from trying something new, and you should always approach a challenge with an open mind. Just like trying a new food; it might be a little scary looking at this foreign object on your plate in front of you, yet it's wrong to judge a book by it's cover and turn your nose away from the food just based on your first impression. You simply have to jump into the deep end in these kind of situations. You never know, you might really enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI view math similarly to trying new foods. It's not something I particularly enjoy or spend time looking to do, yet it's part of life. I do enjoy learning new things and that gratifying feeling of knowledge that comes in time along with learning. Math has always been a struggle for me, and I tend to sit down to do my homework at night with a feeling of dread. But getting good grades are a must and I always push through and finish it. I'm inspired by the wanting to learn and by others who push me to succeed, and this is how I view math. Math is a part of life, always has and always will be. I must learn to accept that and look at it with an open mind and a good attitude. If I do, I know I will succeed and learn to love math.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting personal account that relates a lot to a few moments in math and other subjects. As with the peaches and roses, learning math, whether you enjoy it or not, sticks with you. Like you with the roses and peaches; at first you didn't really care about cutting the roses perfectly, or jarring the peaches, but after you learned how, or were taught how, it became somewhat of a hobby for you. While learning, you may not have enjoyed these activities, but then they became a memorable part of your life history as a memory. I am sure that even after stopping jarring peaches and cutting roses, you are still quite capable of it. This also applies to math and school in general. After truly learning something, it becomes ingrained in your very being which allows you to begin that activity again in the future, when ever you need it.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis story gives a different perspective on how to approach math. Ms. Mariner, representing the student, does not care much about the roses and assortment of plants, representing math, and barely notices them once moved into the house. The neighbor teaches Ms. Mariner to take care of her plants, anyway. By using these skills that were taught to Ms. Mariner, she helps produce a beautiful garden with an assortment of plants. Even though she did not enjoy maintaining the roses, these skills stuck with her. Whether or not someone likes math, it is important to learn the skills taught to them, which will become part of our memory and stay. Once we stop using the skills taught to us, at least we are still capable of "cutting the roses."
I do not dislike or enjoy math, but I am interested in learning something new. It is not something I prefer to do all day and every day, but I see it as a part of life and an opportunity to educate myself with something I haven't learned before. Sometimes, math can become frustrating, but while striving for a good grade and wanting to learn, I continue to search for an answer instead of giving up. Math can become challenging. Although, it is not a good idea to give up; once the concept I am challenged with is learned, it becomes easier. The best ways to approach math are to listen in class, ask questions, and practice. Practice does make perfect, and if I still do not understand a concept, there is no shame in asking a question. It does help.
GA2
ReplyDeleteIt is important to recognize the value of trying new experiences. We often dismiss new ideas because of a fear of discomfort or failure. This story shows that it is important to try new things. At first, you assumed that cutting the plants a specific way wouldn't work for you, because you had the mindset that you were just bad with plants, but eventually you tried anyway and the end result was worth the effort. There is a definite parallel between this story and learning math. Students often come to the conclusion that they are "just bad at math." This story disproves this mindset in relation to anything. If you just try, it will probably work out better than you thought it would.
I think this shows that math can actually be used in real life situations and on a somewhat daily basis. It doesn't even have to be complicated math, it can just be something as simple as cutting a stem a certain way so you flowers still bloom. I think is shows that math can help us create something that will stick with us and remember fondly. I also like to think this is a way of saying, "don't give up because you think you can't." For me, math has always been kind of easy, and I like knowing how to do things. I don't like it when I can't figure out how to do something, even a math problem. I would say, I like math.
ReplyDeleteThis story shows the importance of not just getting by life, but to experience it. It is very easy to live like a typical math student. When it comes down to doing homework problems, all we want is the correct answer and getting it as quickly as possible, then we move on to the next problem and start the same process. It doesn't matter to us why the answer is correct, or how this problem could potentially help us achieve something in life because at this moment, we are only worrying about getting the homework done to get a good grade. This is similar to how some people live. We want to do all of our work as fast as possible, not really caring about its potential, then we can have more time to do other "fun" activities. Sometimes, instead of cutting down the ugly rose bush to make room for more "play space", we can stop taking this shortcut to the easiest way out, and we can let the bush blossom again to see what happens. In math, instead of doing a problem the fastest way, or the way you know how to, you can experiment with different techniques to try and obtain an answer. Who knows, you could have just created a brand new way of doing that problem, and in reality, it could bring new ideas for technology, medicines, and other things. This may seem impossible or highly unlikely, but you won't know if you don't try, because believe it or not, math is as real as a rosebush. You can cut down the rosebush and take the easy way out, or you can take the chance of letting it blossom again, and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteMathematics is a very interesting subject for me. At times, I don't like it, and other times, I love it. I am usually that typical math student who just wants to get the work done, and I don't really think about it. I don't really think of these problems as challenging, because I am just doing the problems basically without thinking. Occasionally, when I am doing a difficult problem and I cannot figure it out, I have time to slow down and think about what I should do. Sometimes, I will need to apply multiple pieces of knowledge and put them together to get my answer. I love it when this happens because I understand the problem and the uses of those mechanics instead of just doing it without even blinking. With these types of problems, I learn the material better, and enjoy it a lot more.
GA2
ReplyDeleteI think this blog makes a special connection between adapting to new situations and problems as they arise and to always have an open mind. This concept applies to math a lot due to how often students give up or can't solve a certain problem and end up not learning from the experience. I believe you want us to always carry an open mind to trying new things and even if we don't like what we're doing, you want us to learn and adapt to the problem.
I sometimes get frustrated in math when I can't figure out a problem and end up not learning much from it, but other times when I do understand the problem, I like it. Math ends up being very tedious so I might rush through it, but the times when everything works out is just when I can stop myself and actually think about the problem.
This post relates to math because, like the gardening and cooking, someone who doesn't think they are interested at first can realize that they really enjoy it and/or are good at it if someone gives them advice and help (like the lady with the clippers). Fear of failure can prevent someone from discovering something they will enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in math, and sometimes even find it fun, but I am not good at it. I just make too many little mistakes because I don't have the patience to show as much work as I should. I also am bad at catching my mistakes, even if I go over a problem several times. In my experience so far, I almost always understand the general concepts, but I just make too many stupid errors. Sometimes I get really frustrated and give up completely.
I like it a lot when my math teacher puts things on the board that explain HOW to do the problem in WORDS, as well as a sample problem, because when I am looking back through my notes for how do do a certain type of problem and all there is is a sample problem, it's not nearly as helpful as also having the explanation. I think I also retain it better.
GA2
ReplyDeleteTo succeed and get the most out of life, you must try new things and approach everything from a variety of different angles. Look at things in a new light, or simply try again. Personally, that is what I believe one meaning of this story to be. The other is that these concepts are crucial to success in math. You can't just give up on a problem if you are not able to solve it. You have to keep trying and look at the problem from various perspectives. It is impossible to learn anything if you don't try new things and approaches.
Personally, I enjoy math. Although sometimes very frustrating, math has been one of my favorite subjects and I am fairly good at it. I learn best by just doing problems, but any other way works fine for me. Throughout my high school career I've found math to be a relatively easy subject, but I do find that I struggle more in geometry than in algebra.
GA2
ReplyDeleteThis blog has to do with the everyday difficulties that arise when a responsibility is taken on and also the process of learning. Like the garden, math, for many, begins simply and seemingly menial. Ms. Mariner, like many unenthusiastic students, did not think twice when it came to tending the roses. She just tried to get the task out of the way. But with the right instructor, in this case that being her friendly neighbor Barbara, Ms. Mariner soon realized the true beauty and importance of the garden. Through the garden came the inspiration to can the peaches. If a garden so shockingly exquisite could come from something that was once a chore, then what could be done with the peaches? The lesson for math is alike. Learning math may seem like a struggle not worth it, but with the right attention, it will unlock the unlimited possibilities of the world of math.
I myself am easily frustrated with math. It can be time-consuming and complicated. Some days I just want to give up. Right now I am at a transitional stage where I am caught between a state of confusion and inspiration. I can see all the possibilities that math will unlock but I have yet to experience them. I know they are there and worth the time and effort but math is still a struggle when it comes to looking forward to it.
This short story is all about trying, about putting in the effort.
ReplyDeleteIf the main character hadn't taken the advice of her friend to cut the roses a certain way, she wouldn't have enjoyed them the same way. Had she not canned the peaches like her friends suggested, they indeed would have rotted, leaving her with no fruit. It's about taking the initiative, trying new things. At first, she looked at each new opportunity a bit cynically, thinking that she wasn't able to prune very well or can peaches correctly. But clearly, she succeeds just by jumping in, even if it is reluctantly.
If we look at this story in the context of a classroom, her friends are her teachers. Teachers are their to provide guidance. However, it's up to her to let them guide her, to trust them. If she does all of this, she will succeed. If she doesn't, then she will sit through all year assuming that she's incapable of doing anything. She will never know, because she's never tried. This is why we must put in our effort this year for school. How else will we succeed? How else will we learn? How else will we be able to enjoy surprise, change, adaption, and comfort?
At the beginning of this post Ms. Mariner was unsure of her gardening skills just as many students are worried about how they will do at the start of a new year. She shows that if you accept the guidance from your peers and teachers and apply yourself that you can succeed in new things, just like in math class. Even though in the beginning she did not think anything she did would matter and that her plants would end up dead anyway she gave her neighbors advice a chance and learned that if you put effort into something and try your best that you would end up better off. The bushels of peaches that she received from her friends are much like the help that everyone tries to give but if you don't do something with it then it is useless just like rotted peaches, but if you accept the help and advice then you are canning it for long term use.
ReplyDeleteIn math you have to learn to be versatile because the first time you try a problem it might not work out, so just as Ms. Mariner adjusted her way of trimming the roses, sometimes you have to adjust you way of doing math problems.
GA2
ReplyDeleteAt first new things can seem boring, or even scary. When you moved in, you thought that you were just going to accidentally kill the plants if you tried to clean them up or change them in any way. However, you decided to slowly ease into it, and you ended up being fine. I think this can relate to math class. After summer ends you don’t have a lot of motivation to get back into the swing of things. If I slowly ease back into doing math everyday I will remember that it actually isn’t that bad. At first I may never expect myself to understand how to do something correctly, and then within a few weeks it’s a piece of cake.
I understand what it is like to want to not even give something a try because in the past it hasn’t worked out well. Even if something is similar the result will always be different. At previous places you lived, you never had luck with house plants, but in Grand Junction you managed to make your garden thrive. I will get different results in this class than I have in the past because of the curriculum and change in teacher.
In the past I have had good years and bad years with math. Sometimes I just want to give up because I feel like I’ll never understand what I’m doing. However, after either applying what we learned to actual problems or going through it again with friends or my teacher, it tends to end up making sense. I hope that I will be able to learn how to do new types of math this year- just like you learned how to work with the roses and peaches. I also hope that by the end of the year I end up enjoying math as much as you enjoyed making jam and tending to your garden.
The peaches I think represent the math we learn in this class. We don't really like it or care for it at all but, we keep on coming back to the math we learned kind of like the way she kept on returning to the roses and the peaches. I also think that the neighbor is like our teachers giving us new tools and advice that we think we will never need but some where down the road we end up using.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting story! I think this post is about how most people tend to look at math in the beginning, and how their opinion changes as they move throughout the learning process. In the story, when you first begin to grow the houseplants, you are unsure of yourself and expect that you will fail. I occasionally find myself feeling this way about math, I tell myself that it will be too hard and too much for me to handle, and that there is no way I will succeed. But in the story you surprised yourself, you exceeded your own expectations. Then, as you began to follow your neighbor's advice, you grew and succeeded even more, driving yourself past what you had thought were your limits. I think I should apply your experience to my upcoming year in math class, so that I can push myself past what I thought were my limits.
ReplyDeleteI have not always particularly enjoyed math. It doesn't come very easily to me either, and I often find myself having to go over the same thing many times for it to stick in my brain. I believe I learn math best when I take good notes in class and really try to learn the lesson, then maybe when I get home to go over that day's lesson again in order to really learn it so that I can implement that knowledge while I do the homework. Overall, math has always been a challenge for me, but maybe if I come at it with the attitude that I can make it past what I think are my limits, I can grow and exceed my own expectations as a math student.
Ms. Mariner's story is about learning to appreciate what you may not initially be interested in. Her neighbor was like a teacher, encouraging her to succeed in a field she wasn't interested in. WIth a little encouragement, anyone can thrive in math, or even gardening. This story reminds me of when i was little and didn't want to try new foods, but once i did, with a little push by my parents, i loved them. In essence i think Ms. Mariner wants to teach us that there are skills in life you may not think you need to have, but by possessing them, you will thrive.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, i don't love math, and would never do it in my free time, but i really appreciate it and know i will need knowledge of it in the future. Sometimes i get really interested in something we're doing in class, like ms mariner did with roses and peaches. I think i always need a little push to get my homework done, study hard for tests, and get above average grades.
When you first started gardening, you did not care much about the plants. This was partially because you had never paid much attention to them. But, you are just like me in math class, once you become interested in something you keep on wanting more. After you clipped your first rose you found yourself wanting to clip more and more. And after I proved a right triangle congruent to another, I found myself wanting another problem to challenge myself. And so when your neighbor suggested peaches, this was something new, something challenging. It made you want to see if you could solve the problem of making those peaches succeed. In other words, you were inspired to plant new plants, and make sure that the others succeeded. Just like I am inspired to prove more problems true, and start learning how to prove new ones.
ReplyDeleteThis sort of relates to math in the way that your neighbor was trying to teach you and help you, but at first you didn't want or didn't care for the extra tips. But after a few days or weeks, you decided (consciously or subconsciously) to take her advice, and it would help you out in the long run, because the roses would come back. This is kinda like me and math because last year I started to fall behind, and my teacher told me to come in, come in, come in and we can work on it! When I finally set up a weekly time to work with her, she was considering to move me down to the lower math. However, I came back strong, like the roses, this year and I'm ready to learn :)
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ReplyDeleteThis story was about learning what beauty we can find in everyday life, similar to how math is involved in everyday situations. With all the problems the peaches had, there was always a solution, and with that, a way to continue and not give up, even if the problem seems impossible. I may have struggled in math the previous years, but this year is going to be different.
This blog is a good example that although you may not enjoy doing something, you should give it a try anyway. Sometimes as your life goes along a persons personality and interests can change. I think the story shows us that math can be replaced with the roses and peaches. Although the character wasn't interested in the roses, the character cut them properly anyway. The reward was peaches. The character eventually grew to enjoy the memories of the roses and peaches in the following years. This is how we should approach math this year. We should be open minded. The goal of this passage shows us that if we persevere through math, the reward will be great.
ReplyDeleteI tend to have a neutral attitude towards math. If i understand the concept then I tend to enjoy it. If I get lost in a lecture or the material is difficult I tend to dislike it. I understand that math is a very important subject when it comes to getting jobs in the future. I also like to do well on Math tests because it makes me feel like I conquered the math instead of it conquering me.
This blog brings up many potential ideas. Some of these ideas may be long shots, but they can all be related to the jam and peaches. In this story, i feel like the roses represent math. In my case, and many cases of other teenagers, math is not something that we live and breathe. It something that we do because its required. Thats not to say that we don't get enjoyment out of it, some of us even do more math because we like it that much, but i admit that i do not eat and sleep math. In this story, the roses were something that you didn't pay much attention to. But as you went along in your life, they grew on you. They started to mean something bigger. You grew connected to them. I think this is what happens with math. I think at first, students are annoyed by math, but once they finally realize how much it can be applied and how easy it is for math to be in almost everything that you do, it grows on them. This is what has happened to me, i enjoy math a lot more than i have in years past. It means something to me now. Like the peaches and the jam. The rewards are starting to show up, and as time goes along, they will continue to grow and become a bigger and better part of my life.
ReplyDeleteYou can accomplish so much with a backyard if you know how to put it to use. All you have to do is think "outside of the box" and apply your knowledge and the help and knowledge of your peers and you will grow. It helps to listen to your friends and be open to their thoughts because together you can accomplish so much. I might think I am limited in my math ability or I might be stuck within the confinements of my garden, but I can use what I have and create a rewarding and pleasant learning environment. Some of us students may be nervous coming into this class because maybe geometry does not come easily. At first, the plants Ms. Mariner cared for did not survive, but she listened to her neighbor and kept trying and in the end success was achieved. We may hit a block in the road; take a terrible test, forget a homework, but if we keep trying and reach out for help only good things will come.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy mathematics. You are either right or you are wrong; math is not tendentious. I experience the most fulfillment from math when I complete a problem on my own. I have found that geometry is a bit harder for me than algebra was. Algebra came more naturally and I understood it faster. With geometry, I have to spend more time preparing for tests and I have to complete my homework slower to fully understand it. I look forward to math every year because it is a great way to work my brain.
I think that this blog is really about what someone can accomplish. I think that this blog is also about how someone who has experienced failures in the past can achieve success. I think this blog relates to math, because many people have a hard time with math and have had failures with it. Those that have had failures or disappointments with math would be like the rose bushes not want to try with them for fear or thought of failure and disappointment. A lot of people don’t like math, and like the peaches they think they can’t do it or just don’t like to. I think Ms. Mariner is trying to get us to see that even if we aren’t good at something or don’t like it, with a little push, the right tools, and some good advice as well as hard work, we can learn to love it, and succeed in doing things we never thought we could do.
ReplyDeleteI like math, but in the past I have had a hard time with math and certain subjects I just can’t seem to get. So this can leave me frustrated and disheartened. I find that math is challenging for me and due to past failures and very few successes I seem to like it less and less. I don’t think that I have found a way to learn math that has really worked for me. So I guess I am stuck trying and hopefully one of these days it will click.
Hello!! First I'd like to say that Math is a cool class as it is and this Blog idea makes it even better.
ReplyDeleteTo answer to Ms. M's questions, I believe the Peaches story relates to math in a few different ways. At first Math can seem useless and boring like a bunch of dead rose bushes. But once you wait for it to bloom into something beautiful and awesome it can be very fun exciting to learn all about how it all works. You can learn how to do all kinds of math, similar to how you can cut roses to make them continue to bloom and bloom and become more interesting and get even better as you continue to work with the subject. I like to think the roses are something similar to the the peaches in the story, also. The peaches and roses seem useless at the beginning but once you learn how cool and exciting they can become if you do certain things with them, they become fun and exciting, after you work with them for a while.
I like to approach math as a way to learn about how different things work together. All of the things that you learn all end up culminating into something wonderful as a final product. You have to work at the things that you might not understand until you get a firm understanding of that which you are trying to do. Once the concept(s) is/are understood, you can use your newly found tool(s) to your advantage in a new situation. Math is an excellent way to understand how to put things together so that you can weave new ideas into old and new problems. Math can help everywhere in your life even if it seems like math might not relate to the situation at hand.
-Whit Vinson
To me, JAMM'n Peaches was about the value of learning to do something or care about something that you never thought you would. In short, keeping an open mind when approaching new experiences, because you never really do know until you try. Surprise can lead to change can lead to adaptation leads to comfort. This is relevant to math because it, like many things, can be scary or headache-inducing at first but is by no means impossible. Math can be about learning to see something in a slightly different way in order to understand it.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I try to approach math with an open mind, with the thought that I will understand it. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with math in general - I get frustrated with it (and sometimes hate it) when I can't see how something is supposed to work but I love it when it finally does click. I occasionally make mistakes because I try to work through a problem too quickly and do something careless. I usually find math relatively easy, but occasionally it presents more of a challenge (which I don't tend to mind; I like things that stretch me in different ways, but as I said, if it's too challenging I get frustrated). Whether it's math or anything else, I try to keep in mind how important it is to stay open-minded.
GA2:
ReplyDeleteIn response to: http://jammnpeaches.blogspot.com
Math can be found in every hidden corner of everyday life. Even the most random things like an old experience with peaches.
Ms.Mariner's experience with not liking peaches can be paralleled to the way many students see math class. Its common knowledge that students like to get a feel for what they will be learning in math class and how their teachers will be. Most of us quite frankly get our mind set on the fact that we are going to hate math, it is going to be hard, and we will just not understand it, similar to the way Ms.Mariner knew she would not like these peaches, and most certainly knew that if she tried to trim those rose bushes, they would subsequently die.
Although the majority of students really don't like math, there remains an inside curiosity about how all of the math works, at least this is true for me. Curiosity can lead to great things, whether it be a student learning a new method of math or Ms.Mariner discovering for herself that cutting the rose bushes the way Barbara had recommended really can make a difference.
This is what leads me to believe that everything deserves to be given a chance, even math class. You never know, you may find your niche, just like Ms.Mariner and her jamm'n peaches.
This is why I like to approach math with an open mind. Although it is certainly not my calling, I do not hate it. I find it very rewarding to figure out a difficult math problem. Its easy to become frustrated with math for me, so I frequently find myself learning better through the powerpoint presentations we do in class. I am more of a visual learner, so for me seeing someone do something first, and then practicing myself is the most beneficial way of learning.
I really enjoyed reading this post! It was an interesting task to think about how this might apply to math class. I believe that an important aspect of the story was that you never know what is going to happen, so why not try it? When solving a problem in math, do not just give up right away. You have to give it a try. You never know what may or may not work, unless you have tried it! I believe that this story was shared so that we can set the tone for an open hearted, willing to try attitude from the beginning of math. That was super neat!
ReplyDeleteThis blog entry demonstrates how disinterest turned to passion. When you first moved in, you had no interest whatsoever in the flowers. Your neighbor, her age reflecting her wisdom, sparked your interest in flowers. In this way a teacher, wiser than a student, could spark an interest in math -or any other class- in a student. When you first attended to your garden, you were trying to have the flowers take up less space- you had no interest in having them bloom. But when your neighbor gave you the correct tools, you used them, and your garden flourished. In this way a student may not have an interest in math, but when given the proper help, their interest sparks. Soon enough their interest will not stop growing. The peaches represent the help students can give to each other. Your friends are your equals, just the way any one student is equal with their peers. When your friends first delivered peaches, you thought it was generous, but you had no interest in them. You soon however learned to love peaches. Similarly, a student may be surrounded by peers who appreciate a subject, and gradually they will come to appreciate it too.
ReplyDeleteIt is the little things in life you wouldn't expect to mean anything, that always seem to mean the most. One would think that it would matter more that you lived in a damp and cold house, than the aroma of the jam in that house, and the memories that accompanied it. I have been told throughout my life that it is not where things happen, it is who they happen with that is important. Although your outlook on life has everything to do with how you feel about places and people. You can either be miserable about your quality of life, and what you don't and can't have, or you can pick your head up and enjoy the little things, and the fact that you are alive and well. If you take this different outlook on life, you can even enjoy having math first period, and be thankful you have been given such an amazing opportunity to learn.
ReplyDeleteThis story's metaphor to math is slightly subtle. However much we may not like math or be irritated by it, once we've learned it, it could help us in ways we least expect, and it will always stick with us, so when we do end up having a surprise opportunity to use it, we do have it at the ready.
ReplyDeleteA.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the first question, I think your blog is about a) trying new things, b) accepting the advice of others, and c) don't knock it until you try it. Sometimes when you are given an idea it may seem stupid or you may think you won't like it, but the thing you have to remember it that you don't have to decide that very second. Let the idea sit in your brain. Think it over. You might just find that the idea isn't as stupid as you thought.
This applies to math in the sense that you might not get a problem right away. Don't give up on the problem. Listen to the advice of your neighbors and think their words over and try the problem again.
B.
For me math is fun when you get the problem and ignoring when you don't. I find that once I've got it I've got, but it might take me awhile to get there. I find a lot of the time the concept has to be explained to over and over before it finally clicks in my brain. One thing I have found is that math, like music is universal. If you have the chance to sit in on a math class in another country, take it. You will be surprised by how much you recognize. Math is challenging and sometimes you may hope that you will never have to use it again, but the fact of the matter is, you will need math for the rest of you life. So keep trying.
this story is a great expression of trying new things. it was pretty clear in the beginning how unattached you were to the flowers, and then how you subtly grew more and more fond of them. at the end it was a nice touch to add the real appreciation of the whole ordeal and express why it was worth trying something new in the first place. I'm sure most if not all of us this year can do the same, our appreciation of math will become much greater in the years to follow
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