TOO MANY students run from the "hard" classes ... Neil deGrasse Tyson on Calculus

MisterT

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When I was in college there was a fledgling internet but there was not much there but dirty pictures, newsgroups and bullshit. Today there is all kinds of help available. Online low cost tutors at places like Preply.com, there are tons of assistance videos at YouTube, TA's in need of side money at the college, and laundry list of other aids. The days of filling every new schedule with Liberal Arts should be over. We need more Black scientists and engineers on the frontiers of discovery.

 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
I understood most of the stuff in Calculus than fucking Trigonometry....

Yeah i ran

As fast as i could

I WISH i had the internet back then

I had really bad math anxiety

Honestly bgol specifically @4 Dimensional made me actually enjoy it

The TEACHERS and PARENTS have to take some responsibility here
 
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Mello Mello

Ballz of Adamantium
BGOL Investor
Gotta break down peoples fear of math.

I remember I took a class on just that subject fear of math. It was a real eye opener.

A lot of people are scared of math because you can't argue with it, it's precise.

Problem is here in America we don't teach effective methods to prepare kids to be more receptive toward math.

For me the best way math stuck with me was making it physical.

Abacus, counting blocks, etc Seeing math physically helped me learn it easier than just looking at a problem on a paper.

That took away some of the rigors of learning math for me. But everyone is different.
 

ansatsusha_gouki

Land of the Heartless
Platinum Member
Yeah i ran

As fast as i could

I WISH i had the internet back then

I had really bad math anxiety

Honestly bgol specifically @4 Dimensional made me actually enjoy it

The TEACHERS and PARENTS have to take some responsibility jere


When I took calculus in college I was lucky enough to have a teacher that used to work at NASA. He wasn't so hard on the students like the other teachers were...
 

tebriel69

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BGOL Investor
@HeathCliff but we know that's not the norm. I can attest as someone who mentors black students at an university, black students run full speed away from STEM. This drastically reduces options for jobs. This is why so many black students choose sociology and criminal justice. :hithead:
I don’t disagree with you on this. However if you get to an advanced level in CJ or socio you can still earn a decent living. You can teach or go into law. And not just law enforcement either. Law school, FBI and other abc agencies. Etc
 

Tito_Jackson

Truth Teller
Registered
I don’t disagree with you on this. However if you get to an advanced level in CJ or socio you can still earn a decent living. You can teach or go into law. And not just law enforcement either. Law school, FBI and other abc agencies. Etc
This is true, but convincing the students to go to grad school is a whole other hurdle. Plus, they still have to take the LSAT and FBI entrance exam. Both have reasoning and high analysis questions.
 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
Gotta break down peoples fear of math.

I remember I took a class on just that subject fear of math. It was a real eye opener.

A lot of people are scared of math because you can't argue with it, it's precise.

Problem is here in America we don't teach effective methods to prepare kids to be more receptive toward math.

For me the best way math stuck with me was making it physical.

Abacus, counting blocks, etc Seeing math physically helped me learn it easier than just looking at a problem on a paper.

That took away some of the rigors of learning math for me. But everyone is different.

Holy hell that is it EXACTLY

Im a words guy debate writing etc

Math don't play that

1+1=2

Thats it no gray area no wiggle room thats IT.

I can tell you EXACTLY when i shut down too 6th grade dividing fractions factors algebra

Crazy part?

Math WORD problems?

I could still do decent

Its the numbers they so unforgiving

Its either right or wrong.

And a lot of math especially early is to just ACCEPT THE CONCEPT BE ABLE TO USE IT AND MOVE ON

My mind just didn't work like that

But a job kids bills medical issues etc...

Oh now i get it.
 

Chiyo

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BGOL Investor
I'm in a young professionals in Atlanta group and I saw this shit in there clear as day. A 32 year old nigga whos really old as fuck to be getting an undergrad degree was going on and on about how he changed his major from Computer Information System to Film because he found a Finance class too hard.

Dude was mad ignorant so I laid into him. Told him hes been on this earth since the 80s and has nothing to show for it, and that hes old enough to know better that shit doesnt come easy. Hurt some feelings, but I got my point across. Many people in general just try to do the minimum to get by. You can either work hard now, or you will work hard later. Doing the math sucks, but people pay you nicely to do it because everybody wont do it.
 

tallblacknyc

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
Gotta break down peoples fear of math.

I remember I took a class on just that subject fear of math. It was a real eye opener.

A lot of people are scared of math because you can't argue with it, it's precise.

Problem is here in America we don't teach effective methods to prepare kids to be more receptive toward math.

For me the best way math stuck with me was making it physical.

Abacus, counting blocks, etc Seeing math physically helped me learn it easier than just looking at a problem on a paper.

That took away some of the rigors of learning math for me. But everyone is different.
Depending on what math you talking about.. easiest way to make people more comfortable with math is reminding them this is a capitalistic society.. money=math.. knowing math will help you understand money.. math would than look at as a necessity... put some dollars/coins in a kid face and you can teach them addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fraction and percentage in no time.. even algebra... you have to make it informative and fun
 

CPT Callamity

Titty Feelin Villain
BGOL Investor
I wouldn't have any problem with math if I felt it was not forced on me. No one sat down and really explained the advanced stuff. I was hurried along and therefore only afforded math up to Calc. I dont even think I finished it. One school year I think we didnt have a teacher for 3/4th of the year. Getting help wouldve probably inspired me to go into engineering.
 

dade305

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
Sigh....
Long story short for me,
Always been good at math.
Graduated high school with AP Calculus & AP Physics...
Can't remember in which order but one class couldn't be taken with not having the other.
Many years after graduating I realized I was the only student in my graduating class to leave with completing AP Calc and AP Physics.
Wish I had peeped that during my senior to use it as leverage to get incentives.

Everything is mathematical in my mind.
 

4 Dimensional

Rising Star
Platinum Member
Neil said the same thing I say to my students. Math is nothing more than symbols. For example, Three plus four equals seven. The symbology of that is 3 + 4 = 7. To read math, you have to connect the symbols of math to the literal sense.

My favorite class to teach is calculus. It’s really makes you think. Granted, it’s not all easy. If not something everyone can pick up.
 

4 Dimensional

Rising Star
Platinum Member
Calc was straight. Helped tremendously with Physics... Helped me get a C.

Calculus based physics was easier for me that general physics.

When I took Ecomincs, my professor was using algebra. I eventually figured it she was doing was area under the curve, so I started using calculus. Made that class 10 times easier than it was. And less work as wel.
 

Helico-pterFunk

Rising Star
BGOL Legend
Gotta break down peoples fear of math.

I remember I took a class on just that subject fear of math. It was a real eye opener.

A lot of people are scared of math because you can't argue with it, it's precise.

Problem is here in America we don't teach effective methods to prepare kids to be more receptive toward math.

For me the best way math stuck with me was making it physical.




Agreed. I had a similar experience with physics in high school. I didn't do so well in the class overall, but the old teacher made things interesting for us teenagers. I still remember us measuring our "horsepower" - we were on the main floor of the building & he had us doing stairwell sprints up to the 3rd floor. Lots of fun as there were many athletes in the class. Everyone was fully invested.

Shoutout to some other science teachers in junior high & HS. They were young themselves (only 30 - 35yo) so they could relate well to us 14 - 18yo students.



 

CPT Callamity

Titty Feelin Villain
BGOL Investor
The Bible of College mathematics: "Analytical Geometry and the Calculus". I love
mathematics

After looking through that text, there are concepts I was taught and did well with but a lot that was breezed through. I'm glad I have at least a basic understanding of it at least.
 

BGLR1212000

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
The problem I have/had is with the professors teaching these advanced math classes. They're always some native speaking Indian or Chinese mf, making some shit thats hard to grasp, even more challenging.
 

Tito_Jackson

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Registered
A 32 year old nigga whos really old as fuck to be getting an undergrad degree
So, I'm gonna push back a little regarding this. We have to stop shaming people for going back and getting degrees. It's better he is doing rather than not do it at all.

I'm actually working on a grant proposal regarding funding that helps non-traditional students navigate higher education. I do this now on a small scale. But, I would like to have quarterly cohorts of people who want to use education as a means to change their lives.

Now, to your point, he needs to realize that majoring in film is basically pissing his money away.
 
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BGLR1212000

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So, I'm gonna push back a little regarding this. We have to stop shaming people for going back and getting degrees. It's better he is doing rather than not do it at all.

I'm actually working on a grant proposal regarding funding that helps non-traditional student navigate higher education. I do this now on a small scale. But, I would like to have quarterly cohorts of people who want to use education as a means to change their lives.

Now, to your point, he needs to realize that majoring in film is basically pissing his mind bet away.
Pay his ass no mind. He knew that shit he said was stupid when he typed it.
 

havelcok

Rising Star
Platinum Member
i almost did not get into med school
cause i failed physics by one point

physics that i have never seen again since i begged the prof to give me an extra point

my whole life would have been different if not for the kindness of that man

why was i forced to take such a hard subject for absolutely no reason
smh
 

prose00

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
U know Calc is hard when the bitch holds u hostage til u begin to fall in love with it, and it finally let's u go..

I'm an EE now and not ashamed to say I took Calc 1 thru Calc 3 THREE damn times each. But I'm a slow learner tho, and was coming from a Liberal Arts environment with a very limited Math background. But was ever so determined to become an Engineer. My friends were all doctors, lawyers and junior bank execs. I'm Naija, felt the pressure hard!

Only way I survived was becoming familiar with the concepts, memorizing formulas, and actually getting a kick out of predicting the correct answer, or approximating it. Finally got to enjoying the pains & reward at arriving at the right answer, and was able to pass the course at last.

Yrs later, i still browse thru my Calc book, happen on a forgotten topic, and relive the pains all over again with PatrickJMT on youtube lol
 

LordSinister

One Punch Mayne
Super Moderator
Neil said the same thing I say to my students. Math is nothing more than symbols. For example, Three plus four equals seven. The symbology of that is 3 + 4 = 7. To read math, you have to connect the symbols of math to the literal sense.

My favorite class to teach is calculus. It’s really makes you think. Granted, it’s not all easy. If not something everyone can pick up.
Bro Geometry and Trig were easy as fuck for me, but for some reason, I would always fuck up the formulas in Algebra 2. I promised myself I would take Calculous and Math Analysis before I kick the bucket. Any advice for an old man learning new tricks?
 

MisterT

Rising Star
Registered
I'm in a young professionals in Atlanta group and I saw this shit in there clear as day. A 32 year old nigga whos really old as fuck to be getting an undergrad degree was going on and on about how he changed his major from Computer Information System to Film because he found a Finance class too hard.

Dude was mad ignorant so I laid into him. Told him hes been on this earth since the 80s and has nothing to show for it, and that hes old enough to know better that shit doesnt come easy. Hurt some feelings, but I got my point across. Many people in general just try to do the minimum to get by. You can either work hard now, or you will work hard later. Doing the math sucks, but people pay you nicely to do it because everybody wont do it.
 
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