There seem to be two quite different problems: One concerns the teaching
of mathematics in an ideal setting--assuming at the level of discourse
that the students have had good math experience previously; the other
concerns the teaching of students that we've actually got.
The students I work with can't "sing the scales." When they encounter any
of the "real work," they aren't able to cope.
(How far did the article carry the analogy? Is every music student
expected to become a successfu performer? Perhaps, if they start early
enough, otherwise...)
John M. Flanigan <johnf@hawaii.edu> The equation is the final arbiter.
Assistant Professor, Mathematics --Werner Heisenberg
Kapi'olani Community College The scoreboard is the final arbiter.
4303 Diamond Head Road --Bill Walton
Honolulu HI 96816 History is the final arbiter.
(808) 734-9371 --Edward Gibbon
On Mon, 1 Nov 1999, Vern Kays wrote:
> There was an interesting article a maybe last year in on of the MAA
> journals. It used the teaching music analogy. One of mathematics
> educations problems is that for much of the time students are only doing
> the scales. Practice, Practice but never really learn a great work or take
> a solo to a new level of awareness. If someone only studied the scales
> then little is accomplished. Even great musicians study their scales but
> they do not do so to the exclusion of their "real" work. I feel too many
> times, mathematics is the teaching and or learning of only the scales
> without putting in the deeper understanding and ideas of the Mathematical
> world both applied and otherwise.
>
> Vern Kays
>
>
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