Why do so many professors just do proofs in class?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
38 replies · 10K views
hey, poops.

office hours are essential for doing homework problems. i camped out in my profs' offices for EM2 and the grad quantum sequence!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
We get a tutorial class one day a week for E&M and QM. Looks like it will be crucial.

Also, you're from Talk Bass, right?
 
Poop-Loops said:
We get a tutorial class one day a week for E&M and QM. Looks like it will be crucial.

Also, you're from Talk Bass, right?

there is only one brad barker on the internet, right? ;)
 
mathwonk said:
why do so many students just want problems worked in class? don't they know how to work problems on their own?

I think you just answered your own question.

If so many of them want it, they must not know how to do it.
 
indeed, so what is the appropriate response? give into their incapacity? or hold them to a higher standard, where they are expected to do some work on their own?

it is not at all clear that when faced with students who have no experience with doing their own work, that one should respond by babying them further.
 
mathwonk said:
indeed, so what is the appropriate response? give into their incapacity? or hold them to a higher standard, where they are expected to do some work on their own?

it is not at all clear that when faced with students who have no experience with doing their own work, that one should respond by babying them further.

The correct way to administer your instruction is as you indicate: Hold them to a higher standard to do their own work. The trouble with that approach is that some teachers still must worry about keeping their jobs.
 
symbolipoint said:
The correct way to administer your instruction is as you indicate: Hold them to a higher standard to do their own work. The trouble with that approach is that some teachers still must worry about keeping their jobs.

...or everyone just friggin' scours the internet for scans of the david griffiths EM solution manual...
 
I forgot to check back to this thread but regarding the comments about my first post here, I think I was misunderstood. I meant that I think it is important to understand the proof, before plugging in the numbers into the equation. Simply understanding the proof and not using it would be kinda pointless! (In this context)
 
Last edited: