For a smart student, standard curriculum is usually too slow (and too limited) for any subject they actually care to learn. Status quo can hold them back, since everyone else is just following the curriculum.
That learning from books is less optimal is irrelevant to the extent there is no other choice (but there are probably video courses to be found on many subjects).
In most areas of study, I learn well on my own/from books. For math, I don’t. I thought this meant I was stupid until I read “Beware of Other-Optimizing”—now I just think it’s something about the way my brain processes math.
Standard curriculum at my school, even in the honors classes, is fairly slow; that’s why I’m taking three science classes plus math next year, which (from past experience) should be enough to keep me from getting bored.
That said, I have also bought some physics books to read on my own once I finish Godel, Escher, Bach, which is taking me a while. Do you have any specific suggestions?
Try Lawvere’s “Conceptual mathematics” (it’s written for advanced high school level). It’ll demonstrate some ways in which a lot of math is very unlike high school math. (But do look for other suggestions.)
For a smart student, standard curriculum is usually too slow (and too limited) for any subject they actually care to learn. Status quo can hold them back, since everyone else is just following the curriculum.
That learning from books is less optimal is irrelevant to the extent there is no other choice (but there are probably video courses to be found on many subjects).
In most areas of study, I learn well on my own/from books. For math, I don’t. I thought this meant I was stupid until I read “Beware of Other-Optimizing”—now I just think it’s something about the way my brain processes math.
Standard curriculum at my school, even in the honors classes, is fairly slow; that’s why I’m taking three science classes plus math next year, which (from past experience) should be enough to keep me from getting bored.
That said, I have also bought some physics books to read on my own once I finish Godel, Escher, Bach, which is taking me a while. Do you have any specific suggestions?
Try Lawvere’s “Conceptual mathematics” (it’s written for advanced high school level). It’ll demonstrate some ways in which a lot of math is very unlike high school math. (But do look for other suggestions.)