Re: Survey on your math education

On Jul 25, 1:45 am, "tomefoster" <tomefos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I teach pre-algebra to gifted 7th graders (12 year olds) in the U.S. While
almost all discussion in math education in focused on helping those who have
a hard time understanding the basics, I am interested in excellent education
for the future Einsteins, Newtons, Gausses, etc.

Introducing them to games like Nim, Tower of Hanoi, checkers and
chess. And also to the simpler examples from Martin Gardners or Lewis
Carrolls mathematical puzzles. It can be *very* boring being stuck in
a school maths class moving at a pedestrian pace.

1- Was there anything that somebody (parent, teacher, etc) did to
significantly spark your interest in mathematics?

Not really. Some teachers and lecturers were excellent (and others
awful/uninspiring).

2- Was there anything that your parents, teachers, or schools did to
accelerate your math education? (in the US, some advanced students are able
to take a course in Algebra in 7th grade and may be able to a take a course
or two in Calculus before starting college.)

Quite the opposite. My school refused to allow me to take public exams
early.

3- Given the right education, do you think you could have understood high
school Algebra by the age of 10?

Yes.

4- Do you think you could have understood the first college level of
Calculus by the age of 13?

In my day UK high school maths included basic integral/differential
calculus at O level (age 16) and more tricky stuff like 2nd order
ODEs, and integration by parts at A level (age 18). The university I
went to assumed this knowledge as a prerequisite. I don't know the
current UK maths syllabus but I understand universities here now
complain that they have to teach remedial maths and English to some
proportion of their intake.

5- What do you most wish had been differently in your upbringing to
accelerate your understanding of Mathematics?

Being allowed to take exams when ready for them. More good or
excellent teachers.

Regards,
Martin Brown


.

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