Just a Maths exam or something more?

Today we have done the Maths exam, it was three hours. We have had a break of 10 minutes in the middle.

There were 14 exercises. They were not the kind of exercises that I was used to do last years. I liked Maths some years ago because it was easy for me. We learned some rules in class and I was used to do as many exercises as possible. Then, the exam was actually very similar to these exercises. For me, the exams were a formal way to show to the teacher that I was able to do the exercises. My Maths qualifications were an important motivation for me. I remember a concrete exam because in an exercise I confused a 6 and I wrote 9, so the final solution was wrong. At the end I had a 9 instead of a 10. For this reason I felt failed in that moment.

Today is quite different. I have had to reflect and use my abilities on the exam!! I also have learned during it. I was conscious of my feelings; I was feeling myself useful during the exam because the activities were not just Maths operations that a calculator of a computer can compute them. They were problems that needed a brain to be solved; my brain was working. We also have had to explain our reasoning, not just put the process and the final solution. It made me think further.

I really have had enjoy it because the activities were my motivation to continue. They were little challenges. I was not conscious at all of the time. I was actually immersed on the activities. They filled me. This is an example of one of the activities.

 

 

It is a completely different way of thinking. For me it is difficult, but this makes it more interesting. I do not mind my mark. It means nothing for me now. I might have done mistakes, it is normal and necessary. Maybe I also have confused numbers, but who cares?

As the song says: “Que me quiten lo bailao”

Laura Sanz