Wendy Silver

Hi,
I have really been enjoying everyone's posts! Even the so called unfriendly arguing is very helpful, and a thought provoking learning experience.

Anyway, out of necessity, I sometimes substitute teach.

One day as a calculus sub, the "brightest", top honors, kids in the school were in my class. (Not implying that they are not bright; I just don't think the ones not in the class were less intelligent).

They were doing a problem in the book, I don't remember details. I asked them if they ever used this in a real life situation. One girl used it to do her science homework, and most of the others did it because it was required.
It seemed that they were up to the challenge in the book, but saw zero correlation to their life other that it was required work. Math has so much purpose, beyond passing a college entrance exam. I find comfort in the fact that something that seems so difficult and unsolvable, can in an instant of enlightenment become easy, and solved.





Wendy
wew99@...



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