Comments on: Public Relations

By: (Hard) Practice makes better | Shifting Phases

(Hard) Practice makes better | Shifting Phases — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:40:40 +0000

[…] with causality is the puzzle from which my desire for explanation emerged; it is the source of the perplexity that makes me unwilling to give up. I hope that pursuing it honestly will help me think better […]

By: Math Project: Disneyland Parking Structure

Math Project: Disneyland Parking Structure — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:47:18 +0000

[…] projects start with perplexing seeds that draw out questions that are answered with […]

By: James C.

James C. — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:54:17 +0000

It’s a little hard to take a math teacher like Bennett seriously when he simplifies finance to the most basic financial transactions (e.g. leaving a tip on your meal cost), and suggests only math teachers and engineers need “higher” math. If he’s suggesting that maybe we’re not teaching the right topics in math, he may have a point. But even if the chosen math topics are not to his liking, at least a curriculum means there is progression and we don’t leave it up to teachers to re-invent the math wheel every year.

By: Mr. Vaudrey

Mr. Vaudrey — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:14:49 +0000

Have we arrived here yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyowJZxrtbg

To save you 12 minutes, Bennett contends that upper-level math is really only necessary for a career in math instruction.

Further, he contends that the type of abstract reasoning taught by Algebra can be taught just as easily with puzzles, logic, and games.

Interesting, but I’m not on board just yet. I think the idea of perplexity runs in this same vein, but tangential to the movement of “Overthrow the Standardized Test!”

By: Jan Nordgreen

Jan Nordgreen — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:19:45 +0000

Alfred North Whitehead said the same in 1929.

More: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108840294486623374565/posts/ayyYJdWLqVd

By: Weekly Picks « Mathblogging.org — the Blog

Weekly Picks « Mathblogging.org — the Blog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:56:38 +0000

[…] of blogging, Angles of Reflection asked if proofs should be taught in school (and followed it up), dan/dy explained why it’s wrong to pretend that kids will later love the math they hate now (and how […]

By: Brooke in Math » Blog Archive » Real Life Math

Brooke in Math » Blog Archive » Real Life Math — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:35:45 +0000

[…] Public Relations […]

By: luke hodge

luke hodge — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:53:15 +0000

I am not so sure how many students really believe that the math they learn today will even be helpful to them in a few days, weeks, or months down the road in that very same math class, let alone in the world outside school. I think that many students, with justification in some instances, view math as a string of largely unrelated two week units.

School is very much the “real world” for students – real work to get done, real stress, etc. I wish I could do a better job of marketing the fact that working for a better understanding today really will make a difference in a student’s “real world” experience in the classroom in future months (more success and less stress) — and make sure that the marketing isn’t false advertising.

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:38:46 +0000

Louise: Looks like the pure vs. applied math debate to me (again).

I don't this particular post has that character. Rather it addresses the question, "If we're going to make the claim that math applies to the world, how best do we do that?"

By: louise

louise — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Looks like the pure vs. applied math debate to me (again). Maybe the Math equivalent of writers vs. editors? Artists vs. art critics? (stirring the pot?) I do know that, when I was in grad. school, the math/physics continuum was
pure mathematicians, theoretical physicists, applied mathematicians, experimental physicists. You got to take your pick on which was the “top end” depending on your own interests. I am very happy that people on this discussion understand that the only reason for doing Math is as a minion to help with experimental physics, but I do know some mathematicians who are pretty horrified. Of course they mostly don’t stoop to teaching middle and high school students :-)