It is probably fair to say that a large percentage of the population views mathematics with apathy. So many people are quick to say they were not good at math in High School, or that they hate math. However, my opinion towards the subject has always been one of interest and intrigue. Albeit, it hasn't always been a subject that I've excelled at, it has always continued to interest me.
To me there has always been much more to mathematics than problem-solving and theorems. I believe my opinions were formed early, most likely in Junior High School. I remember having a teacher that made every effort to make math fun and appeal to the typical unconcerned student. He used to incorporate jokes and puzzles related to math in his class-time. In addition, he would bring the history of the science alive and correlate important figures and dates into the lecture. For the most part, I had never been introduced to math the way my Junior High teacher approached the subject. He had left me with an indelible interest in the material.
Furthermore, my concern for math might have also evolved out of necessity. While growing up, my academic career had always been of the utmost importance. It was imperative I had earned good grades in all my subjects, and a competition with my peers had always existed. I think that in order for me to succeed all around I was forced to adopt an active interest in all my subjects. In doing so I was more susceptible to all that math, along with my other courses, had to offer. If I hadn't taken an interest in the subject, I wouldn't have been able to compete on the same level as my fellow students. It's important to note that I had already an inherent interest in the subject so it didn't prove to be a challenge or cause any apprehensiveness. Also, since its mostly objective in nature, math's strong analytic and scientific aspects have always kept me interested. My learning style has mostly been organized and structured, detail oriented and logical.
