How was I taught mathematics in school?

I recall loving math up until I was in ninth grade and had a teacher who was strict and only new one way of teaching...she was the type that was my way or the high way sorta gal!

I recall not understanding her explanation and I raised my hands to ask her a question to clarify...I recall her saying something that made me feel so stupid I dared not ask her again.

So I went home that day feeling frustrated and humiliated...I had always gotten high marks in math and did well, so what went wrong this time? I went home that day showed my father my homework and he sat down and started to explain the problems to me in a different way. I practiced a few problems, understood the steps and completed my assignment.

I turned the assignment in only to get it back saying I didn't follow instruction and got a low grade even when we corrected it and my answers were correct. The steps I did to get the answers were different. They were not how she taught it to the class so she said I didn't do it right.

I took it home to my Dad who was furious that I got them wrong when my answers were all correct. I just did it a little differently but got the same results. He went in and fought the battle with me. She changed my grades, but made math a living "h" that year, so I refuse to only look at things one way...