Comments on: Idealism and laziness in tutoring math http://nebunele.com/blog/2009/12/02/idealism-and-laziness-in-tutoring-math/ News about me that is of little interest to anyone except friends, family, and the occasional stalker Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:27:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Rob http://nebunele.com/blog/2009/12/02/idealism-and-laziness-in-tutoring-math/comment-page-1/#comment-39476 Rob Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:54:14 +0000 http://nebunele.com/blog/?p=272#comment-39476 Oh nos, I just left a long reply and it ate it. =( In short - for me the tricks often made me feel like I had an edge or an inside track, which made math more fun, which made it more likely that I would spend more time on math. My mom's philosophy is that you're not teaching, you're lighting a flame. If tricks light the flame and the student goes on to feel confident and invest more, who's to say that that's bad? Is 117 divisible by 3? I still use that trick without understanding it. First time through differential equations was one big trick to me, it wasn't until I sat down with my brother and talked through infinite series of eigenfunctions that I finally got it. I still don't get complex numbers and poles... Oh nos, I just left a long reply and it ate it. =(

In short – for me the tricks often made me feel like I had an edge or an inside track, which made math more fun, which made it more likely that I would spend more time on math.

My mom’s philosophy is that you’re not teaching, you’re lighting a flame. If tricks light the flame and the student goes on to feel confident and invest more, who’s to say that that’s bad?

Is 117 divisible by 3? I still use that trick without understanding it.

First time through differential equations was one big trick to me, it wasn’t until I sat down with my brother and talked through infinite series of eigenfunctions that I finally got it.

I still don’t get complex numbers and poles…

]]> By: Mike Tyka http://nebunele.com/blog/2009/12/02/idealism-and-laziness-in-tutoring-math/comment-page-1/#comment-39474 Mike Tyka Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:09:10 +0000 http://nebunele.com/blog/?p=272#comment-39474 Reading through the steps 1) - 3) appears to cause a noticeable and highly unpleasant physiological reaction in my stomach - not quite unlike nausea. Reading through the steps 1) – 3) appears to cause a noticeable and highly unpleasant physiological reaction in my stomach – not quite unlike nausea.

]]> By: Lena http://nebunele.com/blog/2009/12/02/idealism-and-laziness-in-tutoring-math/comment-page-1/#comment-39473 Lena Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:40:42 +0000 http://nebunele.com/blog/?p=272#comment-39473 That is a tough problem and one that I have also struggled with as a tutor. I've found the best solution is to explain to the student why just memorizing the algorithm will not serve them in the long run (preferably within their parent's hearing). Tell them that it will actually make math harder for them later and encourage them to come up with their own algorithm (based on understanding). Math literacy is: 1) being able to solve the problem many different ways 2) being accurate 3) being able to make connections from one math concept to the next Good luck. Its a tough fight and one that I've struggled with even as the one giving the grades. That is a tough problem and one that I have also struggled with as a tutor. I’ve found the best solution is to explain to the student why just memorizing the algorithm will not serve them in the long run (preferably within their parent’s hearing). Tell them that it will actually make math harder for them later and encourage them to come up with their own algorithm (based on understanding).

Math literacy is:
1) being able to solve the problem many different ways

2) being accurate

3) being able to make connections from one math concept to the next

Good luck. Its a tough fight and one that I’ve struggled with even as the one giving the grades.

]]> By: Eric Lippert http://nebunele.com/blog/2009/12/02/idealism-and-laziness-in-tutoring-math/comment-page-1/#comment-39470 Eric Lippert Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:09:50 +0000 http://nebunele.com/blog/?p=272#comment-39470 A physicist, a biologist, and a mathematician are watching what they believe to be an empty house, through binoculars. A man goes in. A woman goes in. Three people leave. The physicist says that the flux of people through the house is equal in both the incoming and outgoing directions, with an experimental error of approximately 50%. The biologist says "I think they must have sexually reproduced." The mathematician says "no, you're both wrong. As soon as one more person enters the house, it will be *empty* again." A physicist, a biologist, and a mathematician are watching what they believe to be an empty house, through binoculars.

A man goes in.

A woman goes in.

Three people leave.

The physicist says that the flux of people through the house is equal in both the incoming and outgoing directions, with an experimental error of approximately 50%.

The biologist says “I think they must have sexually reproduced.”

The mathematician says “no, you’re both wrong. As soon as one more person enters the house, it will be *empty* again.”

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