Seminar in Mathematics
Geo, Trig, Alg 3 Analysis Seminar Geo, Trig, Alg 3 Interesting

`I can't believe THAT!' said Alice.
`Can't you?' the Queen said in a pitying tone. `Try again:
draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.'
Alice laughed. `There's no use trying,' she said: `one CAN'T
believe impossible things.'
`I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen.
`When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day.
Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things
before breakfast.

— Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

 !  Course Expectations Link to Assignments and Handouts

Welcome to the mathematics seminar course. I feel like I am with old friends. Good to see you all again. (

Link to lessons).

There will be no book (surprise, surprise). I will give you handouts. For the first time I will be using the ActiveBoard. If all goes well, each days lecture will be available that evening on the web.

During the first term I plan to cover a different topic each week (more or less), all leading to a particular end which I will reveal later. The first week will extend calculus in a few ways.

Calculus will be used from time to time during this course. It will not matter which calculus course you took.

During the first term, the grade will come from tests and projects. I decrease the frequency of tests as the year progresses. The last part of the year is devoted entirely hands-on tasks.

Math test days are on the new rotating schedule; I will follow the test days.

This couse will be fun.

 
 !  Phone number, etc.

Steve Sigur's home phone number is 4/378-9425. I am happy to speak to anyone at any reasonable hour.

sigur.steve@paideiaschool.org
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Polya's Ten Commandments for Mathematics teachers

1. Know your subject.

2. Be interested in your subject.

3. Know about the ways of learning: the best way to learn anything is to discover it by yourself.

4. Try to read the faces of your students, try to see their expectations and difficulties, put yourself in their place.

5. Give them not only information, but "know-how," attitudes of mind, the habit of methodical work.

6. Let them learn guessing.

7. Let them learn proving.

8. Look out for such features of the problem at hand as may be useful in solfing the problems to come -- try to discose the general pattern that lies beind the present concrete situation.

9. Do not give away your whole secret at once -- let the students guess before you tell it -- let them find out for themselves as much as is feasable.

10. Suggest it; do not force it down their throuts.

Sic Amet • Consectetur Lorum • Ipsum • Dolor • Sic Amet • Consectetur