Professor Hap

Integers. Distributive Property. Like Terms. Numerical Coefficient. Simplify. No, these are not words describing a solution to the global economic crisis, the efficiency of my furnace or what I may have to do to my budget in these money crunching times. They are instead the words I am wrapping my brain around after attending my first Algebra class at college last week.

I sat in a room with thirty other 20-somethings (ok, I'm over 20-something) and a 70-year-old gentleman, listening to our Professor assure us that we had come to the "No Stress, No Homework and No Tests" Math class. To be honest, I looked at Professor Hap, as he called himself, and wondered if he knew what he was talking about. Whoever heard of a Math class that was stress-free? And for sure I had never heard of passing on homework or not taking tests. Besides, he certainly didn't look like the typical Math teacher with his oversized t-shirt hanging loosely over a portly belly, his shabby khakis pooling around his scuffed tennis shoes.

He must have seen my skepticism because he went on to explain that although his teaching philosophy is different, his students have the highest Math scores at the school. Ok, so maybe I came to the right class after all, because I could surely use some good scores in Math, my least favorite subject.

It didn't take long, however, for my brain to be spinning dizzily with algebraic expressions and my befuddled mind to be working in overdrive, trying to keep up with the examples on the board. He said he would give everyone a turn in solving a problem and, as luck would have it, he picked me first. I looked up with a panicked expression on my face and said pleadingly, "I'll pass." He let me pass because everyone looked at me with sympathy but I did have to take a turn at the end.

I left the class almost as confused as when I had come. He assured me, though, that I would catch on quickly. I can only hope he's right. I do know that I will probably be the first student to prove him wrong on the 'no homework' philosophy. I opened my book the minute I came home and poured over the problems for several hours, determined to penetrate the veil of glue that was keeping me from understanding.

Professor Hap, please don't give up on me.