[Novalug] [OT] Toys: Newest Barbie

[jonwrose at verizon.net]

I've found that how math is taught makes all the difference in the world.  If you were lucky to get a good math teacher in elementary school you will be good throughout your education.  The opposite is also true, get a bad teacher and you will have to work that much harder later on.
------Original Message------
From: Kevin Cole
Sender: novalug-bounces at calypso.tux.org
To: NoVA LUG
Subject: Re: [Novalug] [OT] Toys: Newest Barbie
Sent: Feb 13, 2010 18:22

Myth-busting: I work with a guy who recently asked me if geometry
would help him with things like determining the amount of material
needed to build his roof at a particular slant...  So, not all males
automatically get the mental wiring.

I did okay w/ math -- nothing stellar -- until calculus.  Four times
through Calculus I: F, D, D and D.  I did manage to conquer it 12
years later, auditing a class -- largely due to a brilliant teacher.
Having taken a physics sans calculus (for non-majors) in the
intervening years helped a bit,  but mostly, it was the teacher.
That's pretty much where I stopped with mathematics.

-- 
Ubuntu Linux DC LoCo
Washington, DC
http://dc.ubuntu-us.org/
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