Starting a Math Club at University: My Experience as an International Student

[sutupidmath]

Well, as some of you might know, i have started my first semester as a Math major at a univeristy here in USA, i am an international student by the way. A moth ago, or sth, this university founded a Math Club, whic is supposed to be a MAA(Mathematical Association of America) chapter for this university. So, some of us, math major students, gathered on a meeting that one of the proffessors organized, in order to figure out some things that we as students might want to do during this semester. Among some other things that were suggested i proposed to estabilish some independent study groups, where we would pick up a book and everybody on his/her own would try to study the material, and we would meet once a week, or in two weeks, to discuss about some portions of the book. Like a chapter in two weeks or sth.
I actually, selected two books that i found online for free, that i thought might be a good start, so i sent emails to every member of the club where i also attached those two books, and asked for their opinion concerning the books i had attached and also the idea of estabilishing these independent study groups. HOwewer, besides a senior student, who indeed did not like the idea i proposed, no one else even replied to my emails! So, i have started to feel kind of ignored, even though it would not be a big deal if they would disagree with my opinion. So what do you guys think, should i still keep trying to do such a thing, or just study for myself and not worry about the others??

Thnx

 

[sutupidmath]

well here is the link of one of those books i selected, ther is another but i cannot upload it here, i guess it exceeds the forums limits, or sth. but it is :The Zakon Series on Mathematical Analysis

 

[_Mayday_]

I think as long as you are getting something out of it then it can only be good. If you manage to still get all of your work and still do this on top then I think it is a good idea. I think you need to make sure that the people involved take it as seriously as yourself.

 

[sutupidmath]

I think as long as you are getting something out of it then it can only be good. If you manage to still get all of your work and still do this on top then I think it is a good idea. I think you need to make sure that the people involved take it as seriously as yourself.

Well, right now i am going to four math classes, but i do not find them that difficult at all,so i am quite interested in establshing this group. I think it would be a challenge for me and the others also to try absorbing sth completely on our own,and after that be somehow tested by the others.
My concern is that the others do not seem to take this seriously at all. So if they would not put some effort on it, i think i would only be wasting time, right?

 

[_Mayday_]

I would say so yes, I would wait for some more opinions from other members, I am not even at university yet, so these opinions are based on how I THINK things would be.

 

[Laura1013]

I don't know what it's like at your university, but in my experience, it's extremely hard to motivate students to put effort into anything outside of classwork. Usually, several students will claim to have interest in a particular activity, but when it comes to actually getting something done, where will be very little response. I have years of leadership experience in student clubs/organizations, so I'm used to being ignored. Don't take it personally.

You can't force club members to participate (with the exception of certain groups such as fraternities/sororities that have set requirements). Like a previous poster said, if you're getting something out of reading the books, then keep reading them. You can continue to invite other students to join you, or you can drop it and try the next activity idea. Don't let the lack of response discourage you too much; it's completely normal (at least, in my experience).

 

[JasonRox]

I thought the idea of a club is usually to have socials. Reading textbooks on your own is not a social. Getting together to talk about it is a social, but you don't that's an awful lot of work to have a social?

Why not discuss the mathematics you do already in class?

Also, I love mathemathics and I personally would not join in. This isn't a claim of "interest" like Laura is saying and I find what she said regarding that insulting and utterly wrong. I read mathematics on my own time as it is, and personally, if you want me to join you in reading a textbook, it would also have to be something I want to read too. You seem to have only thought of yourself and the option of only two books.

Mathematics is so broad that you'll rarely if ever find a book that will satisfy the whole group or even one person.

I'd probably do it during the summer, but not during school time. I have enough on my hands as it is.

 

[Laura1013]

I thought the idea of a club is usually to have socials.
Also, I love mathemathics and I personally would not join in. This isn't a claim of "interest" like Laura is saying and I find what she said regarding that insulting and utterly wrong.

It is not insulting and wrong to portray to you my experience. Your experience may differ. Don't try so hard to take offense!

 

[sutupidmath]

I thought the idea of a club is usually to have socials. Reading textbooks on your own is not a social. Getting together to talk about it is a social, but you don't that's an awful lot of work to have a social?

Why not discuss the mathematics you do already in class?

Also, I love mathemathics and I personally would not join in. This isn't a claim of "interest" like Laura is saying and I find what she said regarding that insulting and utterly wrong. I read mathematics on my own time as it is, and personally, if you want me to join you in reading a textbook, it would also have to be something I want to read too. You seem to have only thought of yourself and the option of only two books.

Mathematics is so broad that you'll rarely if ever find a book that will satisfy the whole group or even one person.

I'd probably do it during the summer, but not during school time. I have enough on my hands as it is.

Well, first thankyou all for your comments!

First, i also agreed to discuss topics that we are already doing in classes. In other words, in particular i also suggested to discuss about calculus but in a more rigorous manner, that is try to find different patterns of provin theorems and stuff like that.
Second, in my email that i sent to the other club members, it is true that i attached only two books, but i also urged all the other members to pick up any book they wanted, so we would all gather one day and select one of them. MOreover, it would be completely fine with me to start with any book, i would agree on it.

Also,i agree that clubs such this are primarly meant to gather us and socialise with each other, however this propositon of mine was among many others, which had all a socialisng nature. SO, i just thought that doing this might be a good idea!

 

[cristo]

I'd probably do it during the summer, but not during school time. I have enough on my hands as it is.

I think this is probably one of the major reasons why no-one is replying. sutupidmath, you say you have just started your degree, and so probably don't realize it, but the students in higher years are probably studying a lot right now, and just don't have the time to study another textbook.

Another reason you got no reply could be the textbook you chose. I think the one you link to above would not be interesting for students in higher years since it is pretty basic: personally, I learned the majority of that book in my first semester/year at university. You need to pick a book/selection of books with little to no prerequisite knowledge, but that is probably not going to be on a subject that is taught in your degree programme. I think that will get the maximal number of students' interest.

 

[sutupidmath]

I think this is probably one of the major reasons why no-one is replying. sutupidmath, you say you have just started your degree, and so probably don't realize it, but the students in higher years are probably studying a lot right now, and just don't have the time to study another textbook.

.

Well, yeah, that might be the reason too! Because i am also currently on four math classes( El. Functions, Statistics I, Calculus I, El.Differential Equations) and it takes a great amount of time, however i just thought to try sth on my own. I guess i have not tu push myself into this anymore, at least for the time being!

 

[CPL.Luke]

the best idea in starting a club is just to send an email out saying that there will be a meeting at such and uch time and place with free food and drinks, see if you can get the department to pony up the money and a room.

free pizza and soda will bring college students running.

 

[Laura1013]

the best idea in starting a club is just to send an email out saying that there will be a meeting at such and uch time and place with free food and drinks, see if you can get the department to pony up the money and a room.

free pizza and soda will bring college students running.

Yes, indeed, I completely agree. Unfortunately, it's not a good way of maintaining membership and participation (in my experience).