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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Thanks for the feedback. That
literature is welcome. Shower away.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure about other boxing gyms, but that was my experience
at King's Gym in East Oakland. To its credit, at least a fifth of
its members are women and I've never seen them harassed - ogling
aside - without them being put in their place. I've only seen the
beginnings of bullying and that was squelched quickly - it was an
up and coming amateur teasing an overweight guy who came to hang
out more than work out or possibly couldn't keep up. I liked how
the owner handled that and that it was fine to come there and not
work out at all - better to have them come and get the social
aspects and possibly join in than to leave. You can also change
styles without having to change gyms and make a whole new set of
friends.<br>
<br>
I've had the same bad experiences minus the sexism in weight
lifting gyms. And I've never made any friends in those
environments. People tend to be really aggressive/abrasive with
each other or not engage at all. At King's that is all channeled
into the ring - a place where restraint is required the most.
Being beaten up by someone way better than you is not a learning
experience - it just kills your confidence. That is why trainers
only match you with people around your level - or they have the
more experienced solely defend or only throw the same punches,
etc...<br>
<br>
The focus is advancing your skills, but the social component is
what makes it. That was what I wanted to get across. I've also had
a lot of bad experiences with tutors and experts in general.
Experts and jocks have a lot in common. Sometimes they keep
talking and you know you have to engage or you won't retain any of
that knowledge. That is the problem with the broadcast lecture
method - it is efficient, but not effective.<br>
<br>
Anyway, I wasn't planning on putting Boxing in the Name - MATH
BOXING has some chess boxing connotations - but maybe MATH DOJO.
Dojo is a little more innocuous and there are all the {LANGUAGE_X}
dojo events that have a great format: pick a problem, then break
into groups that mix experts and novices and try to solve it.
Names are important for making people lot at the description.
Maybe they don't know they want to learn more math.<br>
<br>
How to Solve It, Talent is Overrated, Problem Solving or anagrams
that fit would all work - Mathematical Games becomes Metamagical
Themas.<br>
<br>
I liked Romancing and Method, an anagram for Morning Math and Code
because it sounds like a dating advice class and I figured that
would at last get people interested enough to read the description
when they look at the event calendar.<br>
<br>
On 10/01/2013 11:14 PM, Marina Kukso wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAPgqYnKwXtq=A9J0xPSXrLJ+oDdx1g4XEbjbpO1TTw7Mx16x=w@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div>
<div>hey tom,<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>***wall of text incoming***<br>
</div>
<div><br>
this is so cool and i really appreciate how
well-thought-out and well-written your proposal is for
creating a safe math learning environment. have you heard
of the <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.berkeleycompassproject.org/">berkeley
compass project</a>? they work with physics freshmen at
berkeley to help create a learning support network in a
program that's famous for serving a weeding out function.
also, if you are interested in readings about inclusive
math pedagogy, just let me know and i'll be happy to
shower you with pdf's.<br>
<br>
while i love some of the principles that you've outlined
as being productive social norms for learning based on the
boxing gym metaphor, my suggestion would be to consider
not using the boxing gym metaphor in the name of the
group. my own perspective (and the perspective of many
women i know), is that boxing gyms are pretty heavily
coded "MALE - do not enter unless you want to be looked up
and down, humiliated, and judged.". they're up there with
free weight rooms, mechanic shops, lumberyards, and
hardware stores. (to give a free weight example, when i
was in college, it was so bad that a friend and i would
only go to the free weight room at the gym together
because the judging, humiliating looks and patronizing
smiles were just too much. we actually couldn't even focus
on figuring out how to use the machines because we were so
preoccupied with the eyes on our backs. women's bodies are
subject to so much scrutiny by strangers all the fucking
time (i was harassed twice in the first 15 seconds of a
run yesterday!) that it was just not worth it to have to
experience this degradation in order to use this part of
the gym, so after a couple times we never went back).<br>
<br>
</div>
i had no idea though that these were the social norms in
boxing gyms - everything that you shared is really
instructive and definitely broke down a lot of my
misconceptions. it's entirely possible that boxing gyms
aren't at all like my image of them, that many of us women
have unfair misconceptions about what they're like, but if
you use this metaphor, you'll have to battle against that
expectation. additionally, it's also possible that your
experience of the boxing gym space is shaped by your
experience as a man and that a woman might experience a
boxing space differently. i honestly have no idea whether
that's the case and would love to learn more about your
experience with boxing gyms.<br>
<br>
</div>
</div>
<div>i wonder if others have similar thoughts about the boxing
gym metaphor and also ideas for other metaphors that might let
people know that "this will be a study group that supports you
in your learning" (although you could just call it "math study
group" and list the "ground rules." or just go full hippie:
"inclusive math study group.")<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
- marina<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 9:57 PM, Thomas
Fitzpatrick <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:fitzsnaggle@gmail.com" target="_blank">fitzsnaggle@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> If there are no
objections, I'm reenstating Morning Math. I think a new
name is in order and would like to field a couple - Math
Gym, Visceral Mathematics, Romancing Methods...<br>
<br>
Sessions will start at 7:30 AM. I will be staying and
holding up the torch until 11:30. Participants are free to
come and go as the please between those times on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursday (no pressure to show up on all days,
but I will be there) with the possibility of more days.<br>
<br>
All levels are welcome - there will always be something to
do. The vision is that despite skill levels and relative
experiences, we can all benefit from contact with each
other as Mathematicians.<br>
<br>
My favorite learning environment is a boxing gym and I
think that is where our social norms should be derived
from.<br>
<blockquote>* Many different styles of boxing and training
- trainers are free to take on students, students can go
to new trainers, or you can have no trainer and get bits
of advice from many people<br>
* People arriving and leaving at disparate times as
opposed to Karate classes where everyone must arrive at
the same time. The flow is mantained regardless. You
tell your trainer you are arrived and start your
warm-ups. When they are available they will teach you
something or give you an exercise you are familiar with
- coming around to check on you and correct your form.<br>
* All skill levels and levels of fitness - Hanger-ons,
the elderly, novices, pros, trainers all derive social
satisfaction. Everyone is free to improve at their own
pace without being turned away from the sport. Bullying
is not tolerated<br>
* Everyone is given the opportunity to teach - this
advice is trusted based on their reputation - many views
abound and the student is free to choose the styles and
techniques they want to emulate.<br>
* Instruction is given and then the student is left to
practice the motions - the memory is important - by they
have to get a feel for it on their own. They can be
corrected, but the trainer is also free to help other
students.<br>
* Some routines are done in groups while others are done
alone - most can be practiced in both contexts<br>
* The right exercises are chosen to get you to the next
level. There is no set protocol for what you do each
time. You are free to choose what you do next - though
others may tell you better.<br>
* No one goes in the ring without a trainer watching
(the analogy breaks down here)<br>
* Sparing is the most valuable experience as it builds
your fight intuition. We predict punches - we don't
react. It takes half a second for your brain to tell you
to move - if you have to wait you will get hit. That is
why you will often take it slow or only do defense or
offense to trim your concerns. <br>
* The focus is learning. Preparing for your match.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
The primary question I have is how to teach Mathematics
the way Music/Sports are? How do you teach intuition and
problem solving? How do groups with disparate schedules
and skill levels benefit the most from each other? I
propose the following norms. (I will pare them down over
time):<br>
<blockquote>* Agreements on reading materials/problems are
between those you agreed to read with - not the entire
group<br>
* You can come to as many or as few sessions as you
please - there will always be something to do.
(analogous problems)<br>
* Progress and minutes are prominently displayed to
bring people up to speed without breaking the flow<br>
* Discussion groups form and disperse based on the
creative process. <br>
* It is better to ask questions than to give others the
solution when they are solving a problem. Empathize to
give the right hint<br>
* It is better to try problems than to merely discuss,
pencil must move over paper (or code across screen) -
experience is more valuable than lectures.<br>
* Pictures are essential tools<br>
* Assisted/Group work is valuable for discovering the
process, but the intuitive jump or connection is up to
the student<br>
* Problems can be generalized, specialized or analogous
problems chosen to keep everyone in the loop - to give
and get insight as student and teacher.<br>
* The learning zone is right beyond your current
abilities, but not so hard you have nothing to grasp
onto.<br>
* <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Talent-Overrated-World-Class-Performers-EverybodyElse/dp/1591842948"
target="_blank">Talent is overrated</a><br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Here are some books I would personally like to study with
anyone - in these time slots or otherwise. Suggestions are
welcome :)<br>
<br>
# Good general Problems<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gurmeet.net/puzzles/" target="_blank">Delightful
Puzzles</a> - Scroll to Bottom for other great lists -
These are very accessible<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Stanford-Mathematics-Problem-Book/dp/0486469247/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380010455&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Stanford+Mathematics+Book"
target="_blank">The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book </a>-
Has a hint key and an answer key!<br>
<br>
# Problem Solving Techniques<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Solve-It-Mathematical-Princeton/dp/069111966X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380010351&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+solve+it"
target="_blank">How To Solve It</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Plausible-Reasoning-Patterns-Inference/dp/4871878341/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375257566&sr=8-2&keywords=plausible+reasoning"
target="_blank">Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning</a><br>
<br>
# History of Math<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/144196052X/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller="
target="_blank">Mathematics and Its History</a><br>
<br>
# Applied Mathematics<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Methods-Mathematics-Calculus-Probability-Statistics/dp/0486439453/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1380010629&sr=8-4&keywords=Methods+and+Mathematics"
target="_blank">Methods of Mathematics Applied to
Calculus, Probability and Statistics</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Numerical-Methods-Scientists-Engineers-Mathematics/dp/0486652416/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371662965&sr=8-1&keywords=hamming"
target="_blank">Numerical Methods for Scientists and
Engineers</a><br>
<br>
# Discrete Mathematics<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Concrete-Mathematics-Foundation-Computer-Science/dp/0201558025%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-z-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0201558025"
target="_blank">Concrete Mathematics</a><br>
<br>
There is interest in studying <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Complex-Analysis-Tristan-Needham/dp/0198534469/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380010478&sr=8-1&keywords=visual+complex+analysis"
target="_blank">Visual Complex Analysis</a>. The
Complex-plane is an alternative to x-y coordinates that
makes many problems much easier and more intuitive to
reason about. It was named Complex to be vindictive by
mathematicians who didn't understand its worth. AND IT
USES PICTURES<br>
</div>
<br>
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<br>
</blockquote>
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<br>
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