Re: Helping without actually doing homework?

In <1141604366.277918.70820@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, on
03/05/2006
at 04:19 PM, "Chip Eastham" <hardmath@xxxxxxxxx> said:

How about by posing a simpler problem that sheds light
on the original one?

The problem is pretty simple as it is. And I'm trying to help over the
telephone, which is especially frustrating because I'm visually
oriented.

If the student fails to solve the simplest problems of a given
genera, it indicates to me that the student is a talented trainer of
teachers, able to coach them by insensible
degrees into doing their homework for them in ever more generous
amounts.

Or has a bad textbook and a bad instructor. I don't have a copy of the
textbook either. Nor do I believe that she is trying to con me into
doing her homework for her; I'm just having trouble explaining things
without the use of blackboard and chalk.

I'll admit to a lack of objectivity, but she is intelligent and
motivated. It's just that what seems obvious to me isn't to her and
I'm not sure how to bridge the gap, especially remotely.

It may be that someone who has just learned the material would have
more insight into how to explain it to someone else.

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Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, SysProg and JOAT <http://patriot.net/~shmuel>

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