Math Autobiography

10 Points Due Thursday 9/5/2013

Purpose of the Assignment:  As your teacher, I want to get to know you as a person and as a student of mathematics.  This will help me better meet your needs.  

Content:  Your autobiography should address the four sections listed below.  I’ve listed some questions to help guide you, but please don’t just go through and answer each question separately.  The questions are just to help get you thinking.  Remember the purpose of the paper.  Write about the things that will give me a picture of you.  The key to writing a good piece is to give lots of detail.  See the example below:

Not enough detail:  I hated math in fourth grade, but it got better in sixth grade.

Good detail:  I hated math in fourth grade because I had trouble learning my multiplication tables.  I was really slow at doing problems, and I was always the last one to finish the timed tests.  It was really embarrassing. …

Section 1:  Introduction

·      How would you describe yourself?

·      Where are you from?  How did you decide to attend Point Loma High School?

·      A description of your family

·      Where you have lived?

·      Where you have traveled?

·      Where have you attended school and what are your college and career goals?

·      What are your interests outside of school such as hobbies, special talents or sports?

Section 2:  Experience with Math

·      What have your experiences in math classes been like?

·      How do you feel about math?

·      In what ways have you used math outside of school?

·      A description of a class (can be any subject) you remember where learning was safe and enjoyable

Section 3:  Learning Styles and Habits (specifically for math)

·      How do you learn best?

·      What do you do when you get “stuck”?

·      Do you ask for help?  From whom?

·      Describe some of your study habits.  For example:  Do you take notes?  Are they helpful?  Are you organized?  Do you procrastinate?  Do you read the text?

Section 4:  The Future

·      What are your expectations for this course?

·      What are your responsibilities as a student in this course?  What do you expect from your instructor?

·      What are your educational and life goals?

·      How does this course fit into your educational goals?

Assignment Requirements

Format: 

·      1 inch margins

·      12 point type

Minimum length: 1 Full Page

Your paper needs to have the following information in the upper right corner:

Your name
Math Autobiography

Course name

Period

Grading:  This paper will not be graded for writing style and composition in the same way that you would be graded in a writing course, but I do expect proper spelling and grammatical usage.  If this is an issue for you, have someone proof read it for you.  I am happy to proof read papers that are brought to me during my office hours.  I will be using the following rubric.

Criteria	Points
Content: ·      Each section is fully covered and includes relevant detail.	8 (2 points per section)
Format ·      1-inch margins, 12 pt type ·      Minimum length (1 page)	1 1