Ah, limits. The conceptual hub about which the entirety of calculus, and a great deal of analysis, revolves. Any reasonable person would agree that something this important, this fundamental, should be given a thorough, honest treatment.
The students did not seem to agree. As soon as I wrote down the epsilons and deltas in the definition, there were murmurs of protest. As I used the definition to find a limit on a simple polynomial, the protests hit critical mass. Lecture came to a grinding halt as the confused students became angry when someone said this seemed a bit advanced for a freshman class.
Really? Who are they to judge what is appropriate? Are they hoping this will be like a Saturday morning book reading in the local children's library, all simple words, colorful pictures, and happy endings? It's not as though I have even deviated from the material in the book. This stuff is all in their text, so as far as I'm concerned it is all information they are responsible to know for the test. Nothing says I have to spend time in class on concepts proportional to space spent in the book, I can emphasize what I like.
Students only like things that are easy, or things they already know. The more they protest, the more they are showing me they have room to learn. Perhaps after the first test they will learn their will be a direct correlation between how much they protest in class, and how much this type of problem appears on the test. I look forward to the pleasant surprise of the first test.
Who are they to question authority? It's those professors who tell the students that they should be treated as an equal and to ask questions if they do not understand or the pace is too brisk who cause the most issues for other professors who demand excellence. Math courses should be pass fail. None of this A, B, or C, nonsense.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Your comment brings to mind those dirty hippies that encourage their students to call them by their first name, then go out for drinks at the local pub after exams. And so of course when the time comes to give the students what they deserve, their bleeding heart just can't quite do it, so they give out second chances and extra credit until everyone is a winner. Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteYet I would stop short of suggesting that we eliminate grades altogether. If anything, more schools should adopt the tendency to grade every class on a full 4.0 scale. This way, there is a hierarchy and competition fostered among the students. The stronger and better will rise higher, while the weaker will be crushed underfoot, as it should be.
Those professors are incorrigible!
ReplyDeleteIf there were a pass/fail for classes the weak would flunk out quickly and leave only those that may be worthy of the path!