Doug Hainline :
@ Marsigit: Teachers who are themselves poor at
mathematics will be poor teachers of mathematics. The best teachers of
mathematics are confident about their mathematical abilities (with good
reason), and enjoy mathematics.
They need not be mathematicians, but they should take
pleasure in beautiful proofs and demonstrations, and in showing these to their
students. They should be the kind of people who like to read popularized
mathematics books, such as the kind the late Martin Gardner wrote, or that Ian
Stewart or Keith Devlin write.
Of course, this is a counsel of perfection. We have to start where we are, and try to ensure, for the moment, that every child is exposed to at least one teacher like this in his or her first years of school, and that there is then some institutionalized path that children who become interested in mathematics can follow: Maths Clubs, for instance.
Of course, good teachers will know, and use, whatever mathematical abilities they discover latent in their students. But mathematics has to be taught. The idea that it is just lying, latent, in our pupils, is wrong (despite Socrates' famously, supposedly, demonstrating this the Meno).
Of course, this is a counsel of perfection. We have to start where we are, and try to ensure, for the moment, that every child is exposed to at least one teacher like this in his or her first years of school, and that there is then some institutionalized path that children who become interested in mathematics can follow: Maths Clubs, for instance.
Of course, good teachers will know, and use, whatever mathematical abilities they discover latent in their students. But mathematics has to be taught. The idea that it is just lying, latent, in our pupils, is wrong (despite Socrates' famously, supposedly, demonstrating this the Meno).
Marsigit Dr MA :
@ Doug: Yes I agree that the teachers who are themselves
poor at mathematics will be poor teachers of mathematics. Also I do agree that
the best teachers of mathematics are confident about their mathematical
abilities (with good reason), and enjoy mathematics.
By the way, I should be very careful with your term "beautiful proofs and demonstrations".
"Beautiful" proofs is your perception; but, your students may perceive differently, e.g. that it is very "bad" proofs.
"Demonstrations" is your behave; but, what your students should behave?
"Showing the formula" is also your behave; and, it's a pity that your students just to look passively.
You seemed to force your life (math) to your students. From my perspective, it is dangerous for your students. So, again I have proved that the problems of math teaching are coming from the adults and not from the younger (students).
For me, the students need to learn mathematics; and not as your notion "But mathematics has to be taught". It is the students who NEED to learn math.
Your last notion indicated that your students are shadowed by your ambition to implant math to young generations.
For me, the younger students are free to learn; it is okay if they do not like math and they do not want to learn math. The problems, again, are not coming from the students but from the adults (teachers)
It is better if the students themselves (not the teacher) who claim beautiful math/formulas and demonstrate them to their mate or even to the teacher.
So, the problem is how the teacher are to facilitate their students in order to learn math happily.
By the way, I should be very careful with your term "beautiful proofs and demonstrations".
"Beautiful" proofs is your perception; but, your students may perceive differently, e.g. that it is very "bad" proofs.
"Demonstrations" is your behave; but, what your students should behave?
"Showing the formula" is also your behave; and, it's a pity that your students just to look passively.
You seemed to force your life (math) to your students. From my perspective, it is dangerous for your students. So, again I have proved that the problems of math teaching are coming from the adults and not from the younger (students).
For me, the students need to learn mathematics; and not as your notion "But mathematics has to be taught". It is the students who NEED to learn math.
Your last notion indicated that your students are shadowed by your ambition to implant math to young generations.
For me, the younger students are free to learn; it is okay if they do not like math and they do not want to learn math. The problems, again, are not coming from the students but from the adults (teachers)
It is better if the students themselves (not the teacher) who claim beautiful math/formulas and demonstrate them to their mate or even to the teacher.
So, the problem is how the teacher are to facilitate their students in order to learn math happily.
Novia Nuraini :
thank you for the enlightenment that you give to me, sir.
I also had a teacher who always said, "Is not mathematics wonderful?". Firs time, I always agreed what he says, because I also feel a little bit beauty of mathematics that when I finished some questions he gave to me. But I just realized, after reading this article and remembered what my friend had said, that these words seem forced. The words such as push students to become what the teacher wanted.
I hope one day, the teacher will facilitate student and will help the students as the students need, rather than impose. Although, sometimes students had to be forced to be able to understand the substance of learning mathematics.
I also had a teacher who always said, "Is not mathematics wonderful?". Firs time, I always agreed what he says, because I also feel a little bit beauty of mathematics that when I finished some questions he gave to me. But I just realized, after reading this article and remembered what my friend had said, that these words seem forced. The words such as push students to become what the teacher wanted.
I hope one day, the teacher will facilitate student and will help the students as the students need, rather than impose. Although, sometimes students had to be forced to be able to understand the substance of learning mathematics.
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