- #1
kdinser
- 337
- 2
I'm currently taking a first course in differential equations and, just like last semester, finding 75% of the 4 hour lecture to be worthless to me.
The professor walks in and asks about homework problems and works through any that people had trouble with. I generally find this useful, it's interesting to see how he does some of the same problems I worked on.
Then he starts going over new material. Seeing him go over the theory is a good thing, the book usually doesn't give enough detail to get the whole picture.
Then the trouble starts. After teaching a new concept, he goes step by step through 3 to 4 examples, taking about 15 minutes per problem. This it actual torture to me. I'm not good at sitting, I built a giant dry erase board in my room so I could move around while doing my homework. Personally, I don't get a thing out of watching someone solve math problems and I don't see what anyone else could get out of it. It's a new concept, they are probably going to be 2 to 3 steps ahead of me at any given time anyways.
If the point is to give us a few fully worked problems to help us understand the concepts and homework, then DO THEM AHEAD OF TIME AND JUST HAND THEM OUT! We could cover twice the material that way. This is a mid level math class. If you have gone past calc I, it's a good bet that mathematics is going to be a big part in your chosen profession. Shouldn't the hand holding be about over by now? Shouldn't the "I suck at math" and "I hate math" people have left the building long ago?
Every math teacher I've ever had stresses, at the start of the semester, how important doing the homework is. You can only learn math by practicing it, repetition is the key, you can only learn to solve problems by solving problems, ect... For the most part, I agree, I learn a new concept, then I practice it until I feel I get it.
Oh well, I think I had a question in there at some point, Oh yea, is this what I'm doomed to for the rest of my math courses? I'm planning on getting a math minor.
The professor walks in and asks about homework problems and works through any that people had trouble with. I generally find this useful, it's interesting to see how he does some of the same problems I worked on.
Then he starts going over new material. Seeing him go over the theory is a good thing, the book usually doesn't give enough detail to get the whole picture.
Then the trouble starts. After teaching a new concept, he goes step by step through 3 to 4 examples, taking about 15 minutes per problem. This it actual torture to me. I'm not good at sitting, I built a giant dry erase board in my room so I could move around while doing my homework. Personally, I don't get a thing out of watching someone solve math problems and I don't see what anyone else could get out of it. It's a new concept, they are probably going to be 2 to 3 steps ahead of me at any given time anyways.
If the point is to give us a few fully worked problems to help us understand the concepts and homework, then DO THEM AHEAD OF TIME AND JUST HAND THEM OUT! We could cover twice the material that way. This is a mid level math class. If you have gone past calc I, it's a good bet that mathematics is going to be a big part in your chosen profession. Shouldn't the hand holding be about over by now? Shouldn't the "I suck at math" and "I hate math" people have left the building long ago?
Every math teacher I've ever had stresses, at the start of the semester, how important doing the homework is. You can only learn math by practicing it, repetition is the key, you can only learn to solve problems by solving problems, ect... For the most part, I agree, I learn a new concept, then I practice it until I feel I get it.
Oh well, I think I had a question in there at some point, Oh yea, is this what I'm doomed to for the rest of my math courses? I'm planning on getting a math minor.