once more into the breach...
First day of classes today, and I found it enjoyable and productive--a good combination. Interestingly, I knew the names of about half the new juniors in math 3 from having had them in study hall last year. Weird--who'd'a thought? Can't tell what they're like except quiet. Of course, it's only the first day. Have been told already that I intimidated one girl in the class. Thought about sending her an email saying, "What the hell do you mean I intimidate you?" But decided if she's already intimidated, she might not appreciate my...idiosyncratic sense of humor.
Because of schedule issues, the 20 kids in math 3 last year are doing math 5 in three separate sections--we'll see whether I can do that successfully or not. My first period class has 15 kids in math 3, 3 in math 5, and 1 in math 7--all at the same time. Never tried three courses in one period before.
English is a fascinating mix of people: more people not taking it for honors than I've ever had; some kids also in my math 5 class and then some not taking math at all, so the interdisciplinarity with math and physics is a tad tougher to pull off. Had a great start today, though, tieing a quote from "What the bleep do we know?" about assumptions and biases into a more general discussion of knowledge and certainty and ambiguity in language. I was happy with the tie-in. Took a sort-of traditional critique of the "The earth is flat" mindset and turned it on its head by asking why it's in fact generally reasonable to consider that the earth is flat and then even further in asking how the earth is in fact flat in a particular mathematical sense.
Had the English class over to dinner tonight, and that went well, too. Then, afterwards, Kevin, Thomas P ("your favorite math major" as he introduced himself to me) and Alex Au came by so Kevin could get his birthday poster. He was nice and said it was sweet. I like Kevin although most people who know both of us find it really weird, sometimes even freakish, that we get along. He's taught me some valuable lessons, though.
All in all, an enjoyable and successful day. Much as I hate to press my luck, we'll see if we can go 2 for 2 tomorrow.
Because of schedule issues, the 20 kids in math 3 last year are doing math 5 in three separate sections--we'll see whether I can do that successfully or not. My first period class has 15 kids in math 3, 3 in math 5, and 1 in math 7--all at the same time. Never tried three courses in one period before.
English is a fascinating mix of people: more people not taking it for honors than I've ever had; some kids also in my math 5 class and then some not taking math at all, so the interdisciplinarity with math and physics is a tad tougher to pull off. Had a great start today, though, tieing a quote from "What the bleep do we know?" about assumptions and biases into a more general discussion of knowledge and certainty and ambiguity in language. I was happy with the tie-in. Took a sort-of traditional critique of the "The earth is flat" mindset and turned it on its head by asking why it's in fact generally reasonable to consider that the earth is flat and then even further in asking how the earth is in fact flat in a particular mathematical sense.
Had the English class over to dinner tonight, and that went well, too. Then, afterwards, Kevin, Thomas P ("your favorite math major" as he introduced himself to me) and Alex Au came by so Kevin could get his birthday poster. He was nice and said it was sweet. I like Kevin although most people who know both of us find it really weird, sometimes even freakish, that we get along. He's taught me some valuable lessons, though.
All in all, an enjoyable and successful day. Much as I hate to press my luck, we'll see if we can go 2 for 2 tomorrow.