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How a Math Person Becomes a Math Person
by Rishi Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:07 am
How a Math Person Becomes a Math Person
Sosniak gives the example of a future math star who recalled that when he was a kid, his dad would play a game where he would ask him what fraction of his omelet was left on the plate. He thought it was fun and soon learned his fractions.
Let’s imagine, for a moment, how this early exposure might have played out throughout the future mathematician’s education.
The omelet game might have generated slightly more confidence when the student was in his early elementary school math classes. His teachers, impressed that he seemed to know the fractions so well, probably would have then tracked him into the gifted and talented programs for math. At that young age, there isn’t much criteria to judge by, so seeming to be engaged in the math classroom is as good as any.
Once there, the student would get advanced training. More importantly, his confidence that he was good in math would increase. This would lead him to spend more time grappling with problems, which provides perfect deliberate practice (he’s stretching just beyond his ability) which in turn would make him even better. This gives him more confidence which leads to more deliberate practice and more ability, and the cycle continues.
By the time he arrives at college he’ll be considered a math whiz. By the time he’s 30, he’s a star in his field.
Why?
Because his dad liked to play with his food…
http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/17/q-a-how-much-does-intelligence-matter-at-college/
Sosniak gives the example of a future math star who recalled that when he was a kid, his dad would play a game where he would ask him what fraction of his omelet was left on the plate. He thought it was fun and soon learned his fractions.
Let’s imagine, for a moment, how this early exposure might have played out throughout the future mathematician’s education.
The omelet game might have generated slightly more confidence when the student was in his early elementary school math classes. His teachers, impressed that he seemed to know the fractions so well, probably would have then tracked him into the gifted and talented programs for math. At that young age, there isn’t much criteria to judge by, so seeming to be engaged in the math classroom is as good as any.
Once there, the student would get advanced training. More importantly, his confidence that he was good in math would increase. This would lead him to spend more time grappling with problems, which provides perfect deliberate practice (he’s stretching just beyond his ability) which in turn would make him even better. This gives him more confidence which leads to more deliberate practice and more ability, and the cycle continues.
By the time he arrives at college he’ll be considered a math whiz. By the time he’s 30, he’s a star in his field.
Why?
Because his dad liked to play with his food…
http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/17/q-a-how-much-does-intelligence-matter-at-college/
Rishi- Posts : 5129
Join date : 2011-09-02
Re: How a Math Person Becomes a Math Person
by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:39 am
..hm... now I see where I could have gone wrong. In my house, they never gave me Omelettes but only full boiled eggs...
Marathadi-Saamiyaar- Posts : 17675
Join date : 2011-04-30
Age : 110
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