So i have to teach a basic calculus course at the SSLA this coming semester. Tense? Sure! Why? I’v never done this before (… biting my nails). If you are a potential student of mine seeing this post, i would like to assure you that I am a bit handy with calculus. But yes, the thing to worry about is that i am nowhere near as practiced or proficient as a good teacher should be! And also that teaching is an art, not everyone’s cup of tea. But i’m learning that art, so please bear with me. The way i do it, or like to do it is to experiment and co-learning.
Worries apart, i wonder what should be the role of a teacher in such a class? Or put in another way, what transformation should the participants have after going through this class? Or even more basic, what should basic calculus mean to anyone? I am not clear about the former 2 questions, but for the latter i can imagine the following possibilities:
- Make oneself a fanatic about advanced math and calculus :- This could happen when the subject becomes an end in itself. Like math nerds on auto mode! This is far too ambitious. And i fear i won’t do any justice to the kids in this domain. Not in this lifetime.
- Embodying calculus :- when the subject has utility value as well as philosophical value in such a way that you can begin to see its terminology and ideas relevant to understanding your day to day life.
- Calculus as a no-brainer tool :- when its just like a car. Key in from some place you are not happy with, and you could drive it to a happy place, without worrying about how the engine works. Like a ‘black-box’ tool.
- Calculus as a certificate :- A key document respected by the society! It implies that one has spent enough time and effort to bottle up enough information which everyone knows will be drained once done with the exams. The optimists however hope that some of it will remain as nostalgic residues for years to come.
- ” I Quit !”
Personally, i have had a lot of content in #4s, and sadly i can vouch for their uselessness. But i have also had the opportunity of being around point #3 during my projects work, and have learnt to appreciate it as a great tool. But with this 3 month elective course (thanks to Sumithra Surendralal – my friend and a wonderful science and math teacher from the SSLA who suggested i try it out this semester) i will upgrade a bit to region #2, i hope. And with the students, I hope they carry away at the end of the course some of the joys (#2) and utilities(#3) of basic calculus. And i hope that i would help my kids steer clear of #5.