<< If any of us had a nickel for every anti-math joke that we hear in
society at large, our salaries might be more respectable! What can we do
about this? How important is it to do something? >>
. . . to which Karen at Orange Coast College responded:
<< Well, as I made a joke today about dentists, I realized that I was in the
same boat!! >>
. . . Later, Al Roy had this to say:
<< The sequential nature of the math curriculum contributes
mightily to its being hard. Adding two two digit numbers is hard for a
student who cannot add two one digit numbers.
Is Calculus hard? >>
The combination of these comments reminded me of the "definition" my
dentist gave for the term "calculus":
"Calculus is something hard that builds up" (on your teeth).
Except for the teeth part, could these same words apply to the mathematical
term as well (at least in our student's eyes)?
Jim Francis ******* * * * * *
Edmonds Community College * * * * * *
Mathematics Department * *** * * *
20000 68th Avenue West ***** * * * * *
Lynnwood, WA 98036-5999 * * * * *
(425) 640-1377 * * * * * * *
jfrancis@edcc.ctc.edu ******* *** * * * * *
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore
all progress depends on the unreasonable." - G. B. Shaw (1856-1950)
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************