This post is synonymously titled with "The Mathematical Brain" by Brian Butterworth. I first read that book when I was a trainee teacher in 2001 and since then, my view of mathematics learning has changed radically.
Now I see there is actually a place for mathematics haters. They really have a place - far far away from me.
I'm not against people struggling with mathematics but I wonder why people wouldn't try. I know interest counts for a lot and I concede that point about interest. But then, if one weren't interested, explain why one would come for Mathematical Olympiad training sessions?
Question for the day:
Which of the following products is bigger?
20092010 * 2011 or 20112010 * 2009
Friday, March 26, 2010
Gaps
There had been occasions when I told myself to blog but when I finally reach home, I am only energized for bed.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Answering a Stern Question
The laptop came back with a new LCD screen, a new keyboard and an updated BIOS. However, the most irritating problem of the flying cursor was not solved.
Eventually, the critical data were saved out and then the entire hard disk was wiped clean and reformatted.
No cloths were dirtied in the process.
I'm still regaining my balance on the new laptop and this post is done at work.
Class begins in 35 minutes and I'm not so much looking forward to it. Yet it has to be done.
Eventually, the critical data were saved out and then the entire hard disk was wiped clean and reformatted.
No cloths were dirtied in the process.
I'm still regaining my balance on the new laptop and this post is done at work.
Class begins in 35 minutes and I'm not so much looking forward to it. Yet it has to be done.
Monday, March 08, 2010
No fool like the old fool
There’s no fool like an old fool and this, I do know
It’s really quite disgusting and horribly saddening
To be brought down so low.
There’s no fool like a blind fool whose who pokes himself
In the very eye,
Blindness is a mental condition; it clouds the clearest of vision
And its realization, oh my.
A blind fool and an old fool are a sad fool, yes, indeed
One finds it through ones’ own struggling
While others laughingly pay heed.
Tis a sad business and this business I wish it were not so
Our Dreams suddenly shatter and we find ourselves in the weather
And in mirrors our reality doth show.
And on with the show…..
It’s really quite disgusting and horribly saddening
To be brought down so low.
There’s no fool like a blind fool whose who pokes himself
In the very eye,
Blindness is a mental condition; it clouds the clearest of vision
And its realization, oh my.
A blind fool and an old fool are a sad fool, yes, indeed
One finds it through ones’ own struggling
While others laughingly pay heed.
Tis a sad business and this business I wish it were not so
Our Dreams suddenly shatter and we find ourselves in the weather
And in mirrors our reality doth show.
And on with the show…..
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Laptop on Leave
My laptop is finally taking a break at the HP service centre.
Among other things, it has a broken key "4". There was no way to reattach it. It has a mouse pad that is so hypersensitive that wind from the fan can move the cursor around! It has a fan that is not working. The lap top gets so hot that it shuts down by itself for self preservation. It has a intermittently not working USB port. You can lose connection to whatever you attach there as you wish. There is a screen that flickers when you work the lap top hard.
The laptop has worked really hard and it is now being restored. Thank god for the extended warranty. Let's hope they do the necessary "organ" transplants.
Among other things, it has a broken key "4". There was no way to reattach it. It has a mouse pad that is so hypersensitive that wind from the fan can move the cursor around! It has a fan that is not working. The lap top gets so hot that it shuts down by itself for self preservation. It has a intermittently not working USB port. You can lose connection to whatever you attach there as you wish. There is a screen that flickers when you work the lap top hard.
The laptop has worked really hard and it is now being restored. Thank god for the extended warranty. Let's hope they do the necessary "organ" transplants.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Teaching Conflict Management
The bitch fight arose when I was teaching my oral communication class conflict management. The students in the class are preparatory year students hoping to be admitted to the university after the necessary tests and interviews. All of them are foreigners. So, this is how the story went:
Two girls - a Burmese and an Indonesian - were supposed to do role play. Miss Myanmar was supposed to be an insistent comment giver, regardless of the receiver's interest in hearing them. She criticised the Miss Indonesia's slides and asked her to put in a blue background for the slides to make them look more professional.
The Indonesian retorted saying that the slides "are meant for university. Why choose blue? Do you think this is the beach?"
Of course, slang and accent were in play here and Miss Myanmar looked at Miss Indonesia in disbelief and asked, "What did you call me?" She then turned to the class and asked, "What did she call me? Bitch?"
By then, there was a huge commotion in class and the kids made things worse by replying, "She (Miss Indon) said 'beach'" to Miss Myanmar. Things became worse when the next lines that came out was, "Beach, you know, beach?" A lot of laughter was going on at that moment and Miss Indonesia added "fuel" by telling Miss Myanmar, "I said beach. The beach..." Miss Myanmar was really perturbed until someone finally said, "Beach, you know. B-E-A-C-H."
There was so much laughter in the class. I guess the students and I never had such fun since the class began. To be honest, I was almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
Miss Myanmar finally figured out her faux pas and the play acting continued to the end. I think many other people will be talking about this singular episode. How appropriate that conflict management found its most natural teaching point. And how truly important, teaching table talk!
Two girls - a Burmese and an Indonesian - were supposed to do role play. Miss Myanmar was supposed to be an insistent comment giver, regardless of the receiver's interest in hearing them. She criticised the Miss Indonesia's slides and asked her to put in a blue background for the slides to make them look more professional.
The Indonesian retorted saying that the slides "are meant for university. Why choose blue? Do you think this is the beach?"
Of course, slang and accent were in play here and Miss Myanmar looked at Miss Indonesia in disbelief and asked, "What did you call me?" She then turned to the class and asked, "What did she call me? Bitch?"
By then, there was a huge commotion in class and the kids made things worse by replying, "She (Miss Indon) said 'beach'" to Miss Myanmar. Things became worse when the next lines that came out was, "Beach, you know, beach?" A lot of laughter was going on at that moment and Miss Indonesia added "fuel" by telling Miss Myanmar, "I said beach. The beach..." Miss Myanmar was really perturbed until someone finally said, "Beach, you know. B-E-A-C-H."
There was so much laughter in the class. I guess the students and I never had such fun since the class began. To be honest, I was almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
Miss Myanmar finally figured out her faux pas and the play acting continued to the end. I think many other people will be talking about this singular episode. How appropriate that conflict management found its most natural teaching point. And how truly important, teaching table talk!
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