Main area of expertise?
I have completed a degree in Science with an extra Honours year, majoring in pure mathematics (especially abstract algebra) and with a hefty side serving of formal logic and computer programming as well. I arrived at mathematics after planning to study physics, leaving high school, finding physics to be terribly taught and full of things that I now realise at the time I lacked the mental sophistication for, and realising I found the maths more interesting.
Last year and this year have been dedicated first to earning money, now to travelling around Europe, and soon to earning money again. Next year I will begin studying teaching with the intent of becoming a high school maths teacher. I’ve spent a few years tutoring in mathematics and also worked part-time as a teacher’s aide for a semester last year.
What demands sharp thinking?
Sharp thinking is pretty vital in pure mathematics but it’s probably not something that needs to be consciously practised so much, owing to the already rigid structure of mathematics. Whilst I’m confident that rationality is valuable in teaching, I’m not entirely sure I could verbalise exactly how. I have a talent for explaining things and I enjoy explaining mathematics, which is the main reason I’m going into teaching. I can’t think of any examples of ways that being a sharp rationalist will be -directly- helpful although some may exist.
Main area of expertise? I have completed a degree in Science with an extra Honours year, majoring in pure mathematics (especially abstract algebra) and with a hefty side serving of formal logic and computer programming as well. I arrived at mathematics after planning to study physics, leaving high school, finding physics to be terribly taught and full of things that I now realise at the time I lacked the mental sophistication for, and realising I found the maths more interesting.
Last year and this year have been dedicated first to earning money, now to travelling around Europe, and soon to earning money again. Next year I will begin studying teaching with the intent of becoming a high school maths teacher. I’ve spent a few years tutoring in mathematics and also worked part-time as a teacher’s aide for a semester last year.
What demands sharp thinking? Sharp thinking is pretty vital in pure mathematics but it’s probably not something that needs to be consciously practised so much, owing to the already rigid structure of mathematics. Whilst I’m confident that rationality is valuable in teaching, I’m not entirely sure I could verbalise exactly how. I have a talent for explaining things and I enjoy explaining mathematics, which is the main reason I’m going into teaching. I can’t think of any examples of ways that being a sharp rationalist will be -directly- helpful although some may exist.