Imagine with me, the best possible scenario for Fall 2020. There are face-to-face classes and no worries about “the curve,” a second wave, or financial repercussions. Faculty and students have adapted new skills learned in isolation to increase access and inclusion in the classroom. We appreciate the opportunities and acknowledge the privilege of our involvementContinue reading “May 7 Day 60: Are you my student?”
Category Archives: reflections
May 5 Day 58: First Approximation
The puzzle presented on May 2, Day 55: Small Start gives a first approximation to the participant placement algorithm in a Zoom meeting room. Provided all participants use their cameras, placement seems dependent on the order in which we signed into the meeting except that each person appears in the “second” position of their ownContinue reading “May 5 Day 58: First Approximation”
April 30 Day 53: Commitment Day
May first is Commitment Day. Tomorrow, college-bound seniors are supposed to have pledged themselves (and their family’s money) to the next step in their educational journeys. It’s exciting to think about new horizons, new discoveries, new friends, and new adventures. That first year of college is a chance to reinvent yourself–to leave your mistakes behind,Continue reading “April 30 Day 53: Commitment Day”
April 29 Day 52: The Beginning of the End?
Some academics are in the home-stretch of their semesters. They already have had or are about to deliver their last classes of the Spring. They are working on finals (or perhaps, forgoing finals altogether). I am always a little jealous of friends on semester systems with early end dates. Being on quarters, I will beContinue reading “April 29 Day 52: The Beginning of the End?”
April 27 Day 50: A Self-referential Celebration
As the title indicates, it has been fifty days since I started emergency remote teaching but more important than that, this is my 49th blog post. Personally, I don’t think multiples of ten are that impressive. Perfect squares however are a thing of beauty. Think about it with respect to birthdays: 0, 10, and 20thContinue reading “April 27 Day 50: A Self-referential Celebration”
April 26 Day 49: Love Letters
Dear Mathematics, I am more grateful than you can know that you are a part of my life. You make my pulse race when a solution is revealed. You inspire me towards creativity and persistence. You provided the foundation upon which I built my career. And you bring comfort—even when I don’t know that isContinue reading “April 26 Day 49: Love Letters”
April 24 Day 47: Lost Joys
Today should be my niece Margo’s wedding. The big wedding plans were pared down to something small and intimidate with immediate family. The small wedding plans were cancelled when her parents (my brother and his wife), couldn’t responsibly travel to be there. Margo is a nurse and she understands the risks and responsibilities. I realizeContinue reading “April 24 Day 47: Lost Joys”
April 23 Day 46: Storytellers needed
In my isolation, I frequently find myself revisiting each one of these marvelous tales of mathematics. I find comfort in their words. I love the mathematics. I love the stories. And I agree whole-heartedly with Donald Knuth, “The best way to communicate from one human being to another is through story.” Story is everything and we must be the storytellers of our discipline to the world.
April 21 Day 44: Conjectured Cause for this Pause
It’s been seven days since any post appeared in MAA’s Online Teaching and Distance Learning Forum. I conjecture a few reasons for the decline. The urgency has abated. All the decisions that needed to be made about “how” to transition to emergency remote teaching have been made. New information only makes us doubt our choices.Continue reading “April 21 Day 44: Conjectured Cause for this Pause”
Why this? Why now?
I started journaling the day after the announcement that the University of Washington’s three campus’s classes would suspend face-to-face interactions and go online. Mostly posts were on Facebook. Some were on MAA Connect, the Mathematical Association of America’s member platform. Maybe it’s because I was in the leading edge of the emergency transition. Maybe itsContinue reading “Why this? Why now?”
Math Belongs to All of Us 