Comments on: Math has to be meaningful, or why do it? http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951 Mathematics, learning, computing, travel - and whatever... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:48:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: zac http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951/comment-page-1#comment-19855 zac Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:36:49 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951#comment-19855 Hi Laurent and thanks for your kind comments. I often comment on the evils of teaching 'math for math's sake". Sure, there are lots of people who enjoy dabbling in algebra and they don't worry about whether it has application or not. But that is a small proportion of the community. There is a much bigger proportion who need to see why they are learning a thing - or they will immediately forget it. All the best with your studies. Hi Laurent and thanks for your kind comments.

I often comment on the evils of teaching ‘math for math’s sake”. Sure, there are lots of people who enjoy dabbling in algebra and they don’t worry about whether it has application or not. But that is a small proportion of the community. There is a much bigger proportion who need to see why they are learning a thing – or they will immediately forget it.

All the best with your studies.

]]> By: laurent http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951/comment-page-1#comment-19310 laurent Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:01:16 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951#comment-19310 I really agree with the student who said she could not understand why we study certain things in mathematics; talk less of their applications to real world problems. Even at university level many do not see the possibility of applying maths in life. Actually your way of introducing mathematical problems really helps to situate someone reading the article. Atleast when someone knows why we have to do certain things in the problem he/she can follow to end even if he/she hates maths. It is really interesting in this site. Thanks alot. I really agree with the student who said she could not understand why we study certain things in mathematics; talk less of their applications to real world problems. Even at university level many do not see the possibility of applying maths in life. Actually your way of introducing mathematical problems really helps to situate someone reading the article. Atleast when someone knows why we have to do certain things in the problem he/she can follow to end even if he/she hates maths. It is really interesting in this site. Thanks alot.

]]> By: Samantha http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951/comment-page-1#comment-16067 Samantha Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:55:04 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951#comment-16067 Thanks for the comment on <a href="http://students2oh.org/2008/01/24/calculated-risks/" rel="nofollow">students2.0</a>! To hear you say that "For most people (post-school), mathematics is no more than a tool for problem-solving" is quite disheartening, because I now have such a passion for it, but I do agree with you. Most people never get past the "why?"s of it all. and what are my views of technology in mathematics? I believe strongly in the rule of "too much of a good thing..." especially in this context. As a teaching tool, I'm all for it. I believe that students must be engaged so they may understand completely, and teachers do their best to incorporate that in a variety of ways. (My current math teacher just sent me on a quest to discover various mathematical concepts utilized in the Great Pyramids, and it has given rise to wonderful discussions.) Thank you for this post. I'm glad to see many relate to it. Thanks for the comment on students2.0! To hear you say that “For most people (post-school), mathematics is no more than a tool for problem-solving” is quite disheartening, because I now have such a passion for it, but I do agree with you. Most people never get past the “why?”s of it all. and what are my views of technology in mathematics? I believe strongly in the rule of “too much of a good thing…” especially in this context. As a teaching tool, I’m all for it. I believe that students must be engaged so they may understand completely, and teachers do their best to incorporate that in a variety of ways. (My current math teacher just sent me on a quest to discover various mathematical concepts utilized in the Great Pyramids, and it has given rise to wonderful discussions.)
Thank you for this post. I’m glad to see many relate to it.

]]> By: mike http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951/comment-page-1#comment-16043 mike Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:40:28 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951#comment-16043 My teacher in senior school never told us why we were doing things. It was "learn it for your exam" and that was the best we could get from her. Even the applications she couldn't do (she kept messing up). I now enjoy playing around with math, but I didn't when I was at school. Maybe I can see what it is for, now. My teacher in senior school never told us why we were doing things. It was “learn it for your exam” and that was the best we could get from her.

Even the applications she couldn’t do (she kept messing up).

I now enjoy playing around with math, but I didn’t when I was at school. Maybe I can see what it is for, now.

]]> By: Steven http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951/comment-page-1#comment-16038 Steven Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:23:17 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-has-to-be-meaningful-or-why-do-it/951#comment-16038 Great letter, Zac. I liked >> what is this for? Why do we need to learn this? How do we apply it? The search for meaning in math goes on and on. Question: Do the <i>teachers</i> know the answers to these questions? Great letter, Zac. I liked

>> what is this for? Why do we need to learn this? How do we apply it?

The search for meaning in math goes on and on.

Question: Do the teachers know the answers to these questions?

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