Practice Makes Almost Perfect

 

I was never really good at math.  It was not my strength in school. At least that is what I thought.  In fifth grade, my teacher taught us a method for adding columns of numbers.  I wish I could show you how to do it here, but I can’t figure out how to do that.  When we get together, please ask me, and I will show you.  It is pretty cool.  Basically, you put a mark or tally for every ten, then start over at one.  You carry the tallies.  Each day we would have a competition in adding.  At the back of the room was a bulletin board with a big tree on it.  Each of our names were written on a leaf.  The teacher would call up to the board the two lowest hanging leaves.  Those two would be given a column of numbers to add.  The two students would write the numbers on the board.  For instance: 435+49+321+567=.  She would then say, “Go!”  The students, using this method, would then add the numbers.  The first one done, with the correct answer would win.  They would stay at the board, and the next lowest leaf would come to the board to race the winner.  They would be given a new column of numbers to add.  As students won, their leaf would move up the tree until they lost.  My leaf was always around the middle of the tree.  I wasn’t terrible at it, but I wasn’t the best either.  But I loved this method of adding.  I thought it was fun. 

One evening, I decided I wanted to get my leaf higher.  I wanted to win.  So, I practiced and practiced at our little blackboard in our kitchen.  I put up numbers and added them.  I got pretty fast.  I don’t remember exactly how long I practiced, but I would guess it was two or three hours.

The next day, I was called to the board when we reached my leaf.  My opponent and I were given our column of numbers and I wrote them on the board.   I added them quickly.  I easily beat my opponent.  The next opponent came up.  I easily beat them, too.  Wow!  Practice really does make a difference!  I just kept beating each opponent.  I remember the surprise on my teacher’s face.  I was surprised, too.  I didn’t know I could do this!  I got clear to the top of the tree.  There was just one opponent left: Tom Dougherty.  Tom was very smart.  He actually didn’t use the adding method taught us.  He was able to just add in his head quickly and write down the answer.  He beat me!  He was just too fast.  But he was the only one who could beat me now.  My teacher praised me. Tom winning was no surprise, but I really was!  I remember smiling and being very shaky as I sat down.  I shook for quite a while afterward and had a hard time keeping the smile off my face.

I continued to hold my place on the tree, day after day after day. But I never did beat Tom Dougherty.  I wonder what happened to him?  He was probably a rocket scientist or something.

This experience taught me that practice combined with faith in myself really make a difference!