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From: grant@psych.toronto.edu (Stuart Grant)
Subject: Re: Subtle Math Questions
Message-ID: <1991May2.195751.22316@psych.toronto.edu>
Organization: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
References: <1991May1.192513.11714@watmath.waterloo.edu> <1991May2.133856.8338@psych.toronto.edu> <1991May02.171317.751@wimsey.bc.ca>
Date: Thu, 2 May 1991 19:57:51 GMT

In article <1991May02.171317.751@wimsey.bc.ca> balden@wimsey.bc.ca (Bruce Balden) writes:
>In article <1991May2.133856.8338@psych.toronto.edu> grant@psych.toronto.edu (Stuart Grant) writes:
>>>>I think you'll find that the majority of primary and secondary school
>>>>math teachers do not get their math education from a college's math
>>>>department in "regular" math courses but either from a regular college's
>>I agree that watered down courses in which students are not expected to learn
>>are not much use to anyone. However, I don't think that this is 
>>the biggest problem with the math instruction in primary and secondary
>>schools. _Any_ math course taught at a college or university will be at  
>>least as sophisticated as what teachers will be teaching in primary and
>>secondary schools. Not knowing how to do differential equations is not
>>the greatest problem math teachers have.
>
>Nevertheless, the good teacher of mathematics will have a deep appreciation
>of the way mathematics is actually used in the world at large and not just
>a good understanding of a traditional list of arithmetical and algebraic
>algorithms and formulas.  The student who sees his mathematics teacher as
>inadequate, not only in the internal mechanics of the subject, but in
>success in making the subject relevant to the world at large, will correctly
>reason (YES, students are capable of reasoning) that this person has nothing
>of importance to tell him.  Just as the coach of the football team is
>normally expected to be a good athlete well beyond the capabilities of
>the average high-school athlete, so should a high-school or even elementary
>school mathematics teacher be a source of inspiration.  

I agree. I don't see why you begin with "Nevertheless", unless you believe
that the use of mathematics is as some sort of way to bludgeon college
students :-) The  completion of any number of university math courses
will not in itself, enable a teacher to motivate students. I don't 
believe that it is even necessary.

  Perhaps I should have elaborated when I suggested that
math teachers should be given more help in motivating their students.
This, I believe, would certainly include being able to show the real world
relevance of the topic.