The Literature Review Blues
One of the most challenging mathematical concepts and processes in secondary mathematics is factoring trinomials. When I taught secondary mathematics, there were two distinct areas that students struggled with: fractions and factoring trinomials. Although you can “get through” high school mathematics without understanding these two areas, the concepts of fractions and factoring trinomials reoccur throughout the curriculum. In essence, you can’t get away from it. With factoring trinomials, the idea is introduced in Grade 9/10 and continues into Math 11, Math 12, and Calculus. The same with fractions, finding the common denominator, reducing to lowest terms, and multiplying by the reciprocal are concepts learned in Grade 7/8 and continues into Math 11/12. What happens in Math 11/12, students may understand the new concept but unable to implement due to a lack of math understanding from years previous. As a result, students procrastinate, build negative attitudes, and believe they are unable to do mathematics. This is how I feel about my literature review. I have two to write. Let’s be serious, I am a mathematics/science teacher. I majored in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. Reading, writing, and English as a course are not my strengths. Yet, I have managed to complete a Master of Education and I am trying to complete my doctorate in educational leadership. I have managed to get to a particular level of academia yet struggle with the writing process. My struggle is a misconception. The struggle is, am I willing to do the extra work to learn what I need to learn? I have much to gain but avoidance will not resolve my problem. This is the struggle. Hence, I am experiencing The Literature Review Blues.