tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post115820801457765123..comments2024-03-27T03:13:12.133-04:00Comments on Change of Basis: Story timeDocTurtlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154912977859107986noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158718028542016202006-09-19T22:07:00.000-04:002006-09-19T22:07:00.000-04:00anonymous here...your lectures are interesting. al...anonymous here...<BR/><BR/>your lectures are interesting. almost everything you say is funny. the feeling that you are (somewhat) close to our age group, and usually understand what we're going through, and make an effort to treat us the way we want to be treated help in making class time go a bit more quickly than the normal. usually, professors stand by the board and talk non-stop or work problem after problem after problem, and it is so monotone (<< can't spell), it KILLS ME!! my attention span is probably about 0.2micro-seconds, and your "hyper-ness" suits my jumpy brain perfectly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158524507666671532006-09-17T16:21:00.000-04:002006-09-17T16:21:00.000-04:00Question for anonymous and aaron: why do you find ...Question for anonymous and aaron: why do you find it shocking when such a small amount of time remains? Is it that time flies by when you're having fun? (he asked hopefully...)<BR/><BR/>I wanted to make another comment to ican's comment, a very general one regarding graduate school: please know that most folks who go so far as grad school (myself included) consider graduate school the best time of their lives. Those four years were fantastic, and it was there that I made some of the best friends I'll ever have, and made some of the most meaningful observations about myself and how I think and act. It was a wonderful time of my life, and incidents like the one I describe in "Story Time" are wholly exceptional!DocTurtlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15154912977859107986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158440082173747812006-09-16T16:54:00.000-04:002006-09-16T16:54:00.000-04:00"I'm always shocked when I look down at my watch a..."I'm always shocked when I look down at my watch and see that there's only 5 minutes of class left."<BR/><BR/>i hear ya!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158253288040154302006-09-14T13:01:00.000-04:002006-09-14T13:01:00.000-04:00Okay, I'll admit it. I've taken linear algebra bef...Okay, I'll admit it. I've taken linear algebra before, didn't do so well, so I'm back. The first time around, the professor taught in the traditional way of, every class period, he'd write on the board and talk. Matrices are handy, but after copying a few pages of matrix notes, the newness of the relationship wears off. Everything in your notes becomes hazy, the professor's notes on the board become muddled, and you find yourself anxiously waiting for class to end. <BR/><BR/>Now, revisiting linear algebra, I'm always shocked when I look down at my watch and see that there's only 5 minutes of class left. True, my notes are not at all traditional, but I comprehend and retain so much more this time around. Perhaps a tiny part is exposure to the material a second time. However, I believe the reason I am understanding linear algebra now is the manner of how the material is presented, and the fact that I and my team are interacting with the material rather than digesting it from examples written on the board. When we have quizzes, I don't feel that I am simply spitting up information I've copied down, but rather, that I'm applying linear algebra to a particular situation. <BR/><BR/>In short, I like the way the class is being taught. Yes, while in class I do ask my team when I need something clarified rather than asking Patrick, but with the Math Lab and the seemingly endless office hours Patrick keeps, my questions get answered. <BR/><BR/>I understand that hearing the questions of others could by very valuable; it usually is. But if it's a really major question, usually the team will ask Patrick and he clarifies for the class. I would be okay with people asking more questions in class, but that may affect the team dynamic on which the class is designed. I prefer this class much more that to how I was first introduced to linear algebra.<BR/><BR/>And, from now on, I'll try and whisper when I need to ask my team to clarify something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158237712588879602006-09-14T08:41:00.000-04:002006-09-14T08:41:00.000-04:00Touche!Your suggestion, Ican, is a good one, one t...Touche!<BR/><BR/>Your suggestion, Ican, is a good one, one that strikes a compromise between the team-oriented approach we've adopted and the more traditional classroom.<BR/><BR/>Another compromise I've meant to make more use of and have not, as yet, is allowing individual students a few moments to singly derive a solution to a given problem. This simple activity, again more common in a traditional classroom than in ours, gives those who might work at a slightly slower pace (or work better alone, without the "chattering banter" of others to distract them!) a chance to come up with their own solutions first. We'll start out class on Monday with such an exercise.<BR/><BR/>Good...good...food for thought! I'll have to keep your suggestion in mind.DocTurtlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15154912977859107986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31085516.post-1158235729794286242006-09-14T08:08:00.000-04:002006-09-14T08:08:00.000-04:00Shazaam...this is the second grad school story in ...Shazaam...this is the second grad school story in the past few days I've heard. I love hearing about experiences, but now, I'm not really sure if I want to go to graduate school.<BR/><BR/>As for frustration, that's happened to me several times in our linear algebra class (not directed at anyone, save myself). Reading over the textbook and preparing for class, I always feel like "Okay, I know what I'm doing, I'm ready. Quiz today?, no problem, I can handle it." Then class happens. It's frustrating when people seem to understand with no problem and I'm left thinking "hunh?" I always have to remind myself with my 4th grade teacher said. "If you have a question, usually there is someone else, if not several others, with that very same question." My team is awesome helping me out, but sometimes it may be good to voice a question to the class as a whole, allowing you, Patrick, to get an assessment of the confusion (which is often the seed of frustration); this also may cut down on the chattering banter-murmer which hums throughout class and sometimes gets distracting. I don't want to take away from the individual teams, but the class itself it one big team when you think about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com