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from the how-to-learn-mathematical-thinking dept.
Technology Review is running an unusual book review -- books about learning math, pure math, not applied math, https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/04/24/1071371/book-reviews-math-education/
The author admits to being adrift,
As a graduate student in physics, I have seen the work that goes into conducting delicate experiments, but the daily grind of mathematical discovery is a ritual altogether foreign to me. And this feeling is only reinforced by popular books on math, which often take the tone of a pastor dispensing sermons to the faithful.
An initial attempt led to a MasterClass by a "living legend of contemporary math", but the master is seated in a white armchair with no blackboards, pens or paper and does not enlighten.
A side story covers a writer for the New Yorker who plans a year to go back and learn the high school algebra/geometry/calculus that escaped him, but mostly fails. For backup he has a niece who is a math professor...but after months without getting it, he complains. Her answer?
"For a moment, think of it as a monastic discipline. You have to take on faith what I tell you." Where his niece and others see patterns and order, he perceives only "incoherence, obfuscation, and chaos"; he feels like a monk who sees lesser angels than everybody around him.
I won't spoil the end, but the author does make some progress with books by mathematician and concert pianist Eugenia Cheng, starting with "Cakes, Custard and Category Theory", where each chapter starts with an analogy to baking.
Unfortunately, for the SN audience, the article does not include any car analogies...
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Sunday June 11 2023, @03:24PM (1 child)
I hope someone called her out on that and meted out a proportionate punishment [youtu.be], possibly with follow-ups if she continues in her intransigence. But seriously, having to answer for that inconsistency (at least asking after class is over) would probably reveal something about educational methods for a classroom of multiple skill levels, or maybe just about rigor in delivering the material and method -- considering "we do this the exact same way every time".
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Sunday June 11 2023, @05:02PM
She was teaching high school 10th graders, she looked to be in her late 50s / early 60s, shaped like a tomato with a tight belt on. In 1982 her eyeglasses were high fashion from 1958. She was clearly there for the paycheck, and a little power tripping, nothing more.
🌻🌻🌻🌻✌️ [google.com]