Mathematics+Student+Journal+(RK)

This page is for students comments. Please enter date and name after each entry.

Almost 4 weeks have passed since we started to experiment this "new way of learning". At the end of the first semester, while we were discussing if this experiment would benefit us or not, I was the student who did not believe in this method. I had stated that the old way was the better one. However, as my friends continued to teach new topics to the class, my thoughtas on this method has started to change. I can see the advantages of the new method now, and understand why we are doing this experiment. I hope that my thoughts about it change completely so that I can make a bigger contribution to this experiment and teach a topic to my classmates.
 * 06 March 2011**

Mert Özbilek

Last week, I taught “Introduction to Integration” to my classmates. As a part of S-O-C-I-A-L experiment I think it was very productive. It was not the first time I taught math someone else, but it was the first time I did in a classroom and in a formal way.
 * 30 February 2011- 4 March 2011**

//The first day,//

I prepared the presentation on Mathematica (a mathematical computing software) two days before the presentation. It took me more than 4 hours to figure out how to configure the program to do a proper presentation. Then, I studied the topic on my own and tried to internalize it, so that I would be very confident while teaching. I guess for the presentation part I did a pretty good job. I prepared examples for my classmates so that they can practice as they learn. I tried to illustrate the topic using both algebraic and graphical methods, in order to give them a different perspective. I also prepared a worksheet for my friends to work on during and after the class, which was not required by Mr Kamper.

When I started presenting I was more nervous then I expected. The reason for that was the fact that my friends’ learning was formally depended on me. Besides, I did not want to be interrupted by Mr Kamper due to a mistake. The feedback I got from my friends showed me that I was pretty successful and they understood it very well. Their ability to solve the questions in class approves their comments. One important comment was that I focused on simple points too much. The presentation took 10 to 20 minutes more than I expected.

Mr Kamper agreed on most of the comments but he did not mention anything about focusing on simple points. He later showed me how to do my presentations in a better way and how to improve my code on mathematica.

//The second day,//

The presentation part was quicker this time. The reason is I was familiar with preparing presentations on Mathematica more. Besides, I did things that Mr. Kamper advised me, which made my life far more easier. The presentation was neater at the end and I believe it contributed a lot to my teaching process in class. I did not prepare classwork this time but assigned problem from the book.

The teaching period was more effective this time. I was more confident on the board and I gave more examples and more time for them to solve those. I guess explanation using examples is very effective while teaching math, especially when they first struggle with the problem and actually discover where the difficulty themselves without me telling them. At the end the feedback was all-positive and I did not get any negative feedback. (Except I gave more problems than they expected.)

Mr Kamper was happy with me presentation as well. And he wanted to talk to me about the last part of my teaching period. On Friday, I needed to teach Riemann sum, gave the actually definition of definite integrals and do the proof for why the area under the graph is equal to definite integral of a certain line in a given interval.

//The third day,//

I expressed Mr Kamper that I wanted to add one more topic before Riemann sum. He gladly agreed so I first introduced them the area with respect to y-axis. The topic was fairly easy so I skipped definition part and let them discover for themselves. They did it pretty quickly and came to the point where I wanted to lead them. In terms of teaching, I did not do much at this stage, in contrary they learnt it themselves. I guess this might be considered as an achievement because the whole point of experiment is being able to learn for yourself and not being bounded to a teacher. They did not bound to the teacher even if the teacher is one of them (me). Mr Kamper wanted me to show them another notation for definite integration so that they can express definite integrals in a better way. I did it. It was quite simple so it did not take much.

The next part was complicated not only because it actually requires a deeper math than I taught so far but also I did not present in the order that Mr Kamper wanted. This was my fault because I did not understand what he told me before the lesson about the order of the topics. However, I was prepared for a different order as well and I started teaching it. Since it required a lot work I only introduced the actual definition and left the proof and more explanation to a later day.

Overall, the class was quite happy with my teaching and told me that I really got used to be a teacher. I haven’t completed my role yet but I have very optimistic expectations on this topic because everybody seems like they are happy to learn from someone like them. I also believe a student teaching to other students help the others in the class build confidence as well because it demonstrates that a student by himself can learn the topic and be good enough to teach it.

Mistral Contrastin


 * 19.02.2011**

Last Tuesday I volunteered to study and teach the topic called “Discrete Probability Distributions” to my classmates. On Monday I read through the book and planned how to teach. I decided to use an example to explain the whole topic. I believe that it was a productive lesson. I, personally, have understood the topic very well and it was extremely helpful. I hope that I have managed to explain what I know to my classmates too. All in all I think the experiment began very well. Can EREN