Re: education

From: k wallace (wallace.k_at_comNOSPAMcast.net)
Date: 09/23/04


Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 19:22:11 -0700


"Tron99" <drstrangeglove99@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5751a31e.0409220846.47d98795@posting.google.com...
> (1) To become knowledgeable in mathematics areas one must spend a lot
> of time on one's own learning and thinking about math.
>
> (2) Sitting before a teacher being lectured at whether it is a math
> teacher or a history teacher is interferring with the alone time
> needed to learn the math.
>
> (3) What the math teacher presents is a small part of the total
> necessary to attain a deep understanding of the subject. The
> different math classes one takes at the same time are not unifying in
> the sense that the student solves the fundamental problems from a
> whole. Only personal research across several areas of math attains
> the whole view from which one can progress.
>
> (4) Different books and paper lectures as well as written guidance are
> sufficient for the beginning student to attain mathematical maturity.
>
> (5) Those books are not free in the sense that the public education
> provides for them. Access to libraries is limited for the majority of
> people. There are some online free material such as the online
> cornell that can provide some measure of guidance sufficient to attain
> mathematical maturity.
>
> (6) Math education is essential for understanding the quantitative
> nature of the world as opposed to a "special-case" intuitive
> understanding.
>
> (7) There comes a point where the education of english, literature,
> history, and the social sciences simply interfere with a genuine
> quantitative understanding of things. These classes do not teach the
> fundamental understanding of things. They are discordant with
> mathematical thinking as they are presented.
>
> (8) The internet exists as a medium for the placement of mathematical
> texts and for mathematical discussion such as this board.
>
> (9) The internet is the obvious choice for future education. Students
> come at different abilities and no teacher can cater to a set of
> students. The internet is the obvious choice to allow students to
> gain access to mathematical understanding at his/her pace.
>
> (10) The teacher is wasting his time by teaching students every day
> year after year. There are people who at their inspiration could
> provide video lectures or even one-to-one attention if the teacher is
> in the presence of someone. One can if required present the material
> that he/she knows at one time at their inspiration over video, where
> it can then be stored/rated/catalogued by the viewers. This solves
> the problem of poor teachers and it solves the problem of students who
> wish to learn and research math from books as opposed to daily
> coddling or tyrannical lecturing by teachers.
>
> (11) Applied subjects can be presented in the same manner. However,
> the applied subject is always the result of mathematical thought.
> Many times that applied subject is not complete, but a mathematical
> maturity is needed to progress in the applied subject.
>
> (12) The forces necessary to gain this in fruition are in my opinion
> going to happen naturally. The more efficient way generally always
> wins.
>
> (13) This type of obsession with the fundamentals and sharing of
> knowledge will lead to corporations and technical data to be more
> freely shared amongst people.
>
> (14) Obsession with mathematics is in my opinion natural and superior
> to any other endeavor. This obsession is what can make people truly
> gifted and lead them to be able to solve problems in the world.
>
> (15) Math research takes time like I said above, and the sooner this
> sort of thing is enacted the better for mankind.

two comments.
#1, Obsession with *anything* is unhealthy, even something as cool as math.
Concentration, fascination, ok. Obsession? Nah. Not using the clinical
definition of obsession, anyway.

#2, I don't think there is any substitute for a good teacher taking time to
answer a student's question and assisting with the learning process until
the student understands it. That can not be gotten from a book, and there
are times when ALL of us have questions. These forums are great, but I
certainly appreciate the good math teachers I've had over the years.
                                       -k wallace



Relevant Pages

  • Re: Here we go again ...
    ... So yeah, I think math is ... "This is my first year doing Fantasy Football and the kids love it!!!! ... "Each year I have roughly 83% of my students meet or exceed state ... High School Special Education Teacher ...
    (rec.music.gdead)
  • Re: why does professor david c ullrich have to put people down to feel good about himself?
    ... say that I _disagree_ with his teaching ... Imagine a teacher saying, "It's more fun to ... Students enter class at differing levels ... I somehow figure out exactly how much math ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: education
    ... >teacher or a history teacher is interferring with the alone time ... >needed to learn the math. ... systemthere is no reason that the students couldn't get a better ... If you plan to work in Mathematics then you ...
    (sci.math)
  • The Seeds of Tomorrows Tragedy of Thailand ?
    ... Singapore is a country that takes the Internet seriously. ... getting Singaporean students and teachers ... in the classroom and doesn't just have to come from the teacher." ... some Singapore schools have adopted a math teaching ...
    (soc.culture.thai)
  • Re: why does professor david c ullrich have to put people down to feel good about himself?
    ... Imagine a teacher saying, "It's more fun to ... representative of Ullrich's teaching style, ... Students enter class at differing levels ... I _do_ realize that some people know more math ...
    (sci.math)