OT: USAMO is number one!!!

[BroadwayVa]

Re: learning the fun of math at a young age.

When my daughter was a newborn, my wife joined a new mothers group, which morphed into a play group. When the kids were maybe 3 or 4, the mothers were sitting around watching the kids play and remarking about the natural curiosity in all the kids. My wife asked, "I wonder what the schools do to beat this out of the kids.

Fast forward a year or two. Daughter LOVED kindergarten. Early in first grade, her teacher told us that she was gifted in math and as soon as they had a gifted program, she'd be enrolled in it. Well, the gifted program never happened. And it got worse. They were given homework in first grade. One day she was given over 150 three-digit addition and subtraction problems to do in two nights. That didn't single-handedly beat her curiosity out of her, but it was symbolic of how the school tried to ruin her.

That was one of several reasons we pulled her from what's viewed as one of the best public-school systems in the country. My wife (and I just a little bit) homeschooled her, and it was a great decision. She still hates math, but she's an unbelievable writer.

My wife, for some years, was a stay at home mom to teach her kid number, counting, some simple math, letters, spelling. None attended the Kindergarten. ALL (count em-9)
with one and a half exceptions were A students up to and including college--the huge start she gave them, the fun she made learning worked wonders. I therefore believe, if you have the knowledge and ability (everyone can't teach) Home Schooling is MY way.

 

[BroadwayVa]

BINGO!!!! We have a winner! However, it is my friend who was the wunderbar 7th & 8th grade math teacher. Our education system needs fewer Mr. Cantwell's and more BroadwayVas and TWs (my friend). I sporaticaly taught peers and customers in industry and a few years at the college level as an adjunct. Not the same as having a real impact with youth. But the few times I connected it was more rewarding than successfully completing a large project or sale. Just the look in their eyes was great. I have envied teachers such as yourself. But when I talked to them ... yikes! ... the politics and interaction with the administration seemed far worse than I ever experienced in industry. I hired an employee who had BA, MSs, and two PhDs who left industry to teach full time at a very respected university. I asked why are you returning to industry. I heard you disliked corporate politics. She simply responded "It is much worse in academia." Their loss our gain. Get a group of people together and before long you will have them in competition and disagreement and lumping together into factions ... you know like the Boneyard. Just kidding!!!
Applied math: We wanted to update all of our bathrooms. We were referenced to the "best tiler in the city." Always too careful, we just had him tile the floor in a small first floor bathroom. As he began his work; I looked over the guy's shoulder to see he had sketched the entire floor on tablet with the measurements applied. He was calculating all of the angles and arcs required before touching a tile. I knew we had a winner. We had him updated all the other baths. Other tradesmen would just run their hands over his work peering at his very fine grout work. I would ask them Tradesman or craftsman? They all said "CRAFTSMAN" usually followed by artist. Someone taught our tiler the importance of math particularly in his craft. Math can be art. Thanks to teaches such as yourself.

My Grandfather never went to school, owned 5 or more businesses had 35 people working for him. He knew math, but he didn't know academic math. He could look at a forest and estimate the boards/logs to be extracted. He signed his checks with XX's but they cashed them just the same (old song) My Dad at age 10 wasn't allowed to continue school, was working full time as a livery driver and stable hand, then construction worker at 14. He corrected, correctly, my math problems in high school. Where did that come from?
(note: one of the businesses owned was a Speak Easy(prohibition) on main st Watertown, ct. MAIN ST).

 

[BroadwayVa]

BINGO!!!! We have a winner! However, it is my friend who was the wunderbar 7th & 8th grade math teacher. Our education system needs fewer Mr. Cantwell's and more BroadwayVas and TWs (my friend). I sporaticaly taught peers and customers in industry and a few years at the college level as an adjunct. Not the same as having a real impact with youth. But the few times I connected it was more rewarding than successfully completing a large project or sale. Just the look in their eyes was great. I have envied teachers such as yourself. But when I talked to them ... yikes! ... the politics and interaction with the administration seemed far worse than I ever experienced in industry. I hired an employee who had BA, MSs, and two PhDs who left industry to teach full time at a very respected university. I asked why are you returning to industry. I heard you disliked corporate politics. She simply responded "It is much worse in academia." Their loss our gain. Get a group of people together and before long you will have them in competition and disagreement and lumping together into factions ... you know like the Boneyard. Just kidding!!!
Applied math: We wanted to update all of our bathrooms. We were referenced to the "best tiler in the city." Always too careful, we just had him tile the floor in a small first floor bathroom. As he began his work; I looked over the guy's shoulder to see he had sketched the entire floor on tablet with the measurements applied. He was calculating all of the angles and arcs required before touching a tile. I knew we had a winner. We had him updated all the other baths. Other tradesmen would just run their hands over his work peering at his very fine grout work. I would ask them Tradesman or craftsman? They all said "CRAFTSMAN" usually followed by artist. Someone taught our tiler the importance of math particularly in his craft. Math can be art. Thanks to teaches such as yourself.

I taught a number of seminars for Doctors and Nurses. One is memorable: Baltimore Maryland. They were getting a brand new Radio Telemetry system that connected multiple counties hospitals to each other and to the Paramedics.
I started speaking, before an estimated 500, and without warning, it became a political, medical political-the worst kind, football. The riot police nearly was called.
The politicians: medical Administrators, CEO's including City and County officials took the stage as I exited. I departed, I saw no point of watching the lynchings.
Tradesmen are working for the money. Craftsmen are working towards perfection AND the money.