Or what you always wish your math teachers had told you

Tip # 1: Think This is the main goal of this class. You will be introduced to some of the greatest and most intriguing creations of the mind Constantly stop and think.

Tip # 2: Be active, not passive In this class you need to be an active participant. Take the concepts and make them your own Look beyond the mathematical ideas and, don’t be satisfied with mere knowledge. Challenge yourself to attain the power to figure things out for yourself!

Tip # 3: Read Mathematics Read a sentence or two then stop reading. Did you understand what you just read? If not that’s okay. You may need to re-read it or get another concept better before it starts to make sense. Once you start to get it, work with it on your own or with help. This is where you can begin to appreciate and fully understand an idea. Be actively engaged as you read. Draw pictures, explain ideas to friends. Put yourself in the position as discoverer of each idea. Ask questions, search for answers and let those guide you to still more questions. Reading math is different than reading other subjects

Tip # 4: Lessons for Math (and life) 1. Just do it 2. Make mistakes and fail, but never give up 3. Keep an open mind 4. Explore the consequences of new ideas 5. Seek the essential 6. Understand the issue 7. Understand simple things deeply 8. Break a difficult problem into smaller ones 9. Examine issues from several points of view 10. Look for patterns and similarities

Lesson # 1: Just Do It The best way to learn a subject is to just do it. The lesson I give in class is mostly to give you the tools that you need to work math problems. You will not really learn it until you have worked with those tools and made them a part of your toolbox. Tip # 4

Lesson # 2 : Make mistakes and fail, but never give up Don’t be afraid to give me a wrong answer in class. I won’t be mad and everyone can learn from that mistake. We will ALL make mistakes this year, it is a part of the learning process. The important thing to do, is to learn from your mistakes and not make the same ones again. Tip # 4

Lesson # 3: Keep an open mind We will learn a lot of new ideas this year. You may not understand a difficult concept the first time it is said. Don’t give up on it. Try writing it in your own words and ask me if that is the right idea. Be active in the pursuit of the new ideas until they are a part of you. Tip # 4

Lesson # 4: Explore the consequences of new ideas When we learn a new idea or problem solving technique, try it out on something in your life. The problem solving techniques you will learn this year can be applied to more than just math class. Tip # 4

Lesson # 5: Seek the essential In math this means that no matter what you are learning, think about where it fits into the big picture. Tip # 4

Lesson # 6: Understand the issue Take the time to understand what a problem is asking. Pay attention to the small details. (Politicians on Parade, Damsel in Distress) If you understand what a particular problem or skill is used for, you will be able to recall and use it later when it is needed. Tip # 4

Lesson # 7 : Understand simple things deeply Adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, exponents; Area, Volume, slope; These are the foundations we build on. Do you know what role numbers play in the world around you? Tip # 4

Lesson # 8 : Break a difficult problem into smaller ones If you have a hard problem, first work on a simpler, related problem to develop insight. (That’s a Meanie Genie) Devising a good representation of a problem is frequently the biggest step toward finding a solution. Tip # 4

Lesson # 9 : Examine issues from several points of view Often an inventive solution arises from looking at a situation in an unusual way. (Getting a pole on the bus) Go out of your way to look at a problem in different ways. (A Commuter Fly) Tip # 4

Lesson # 10: Look for patterns and similarities The power of math is revealed by the patterns that model the world around us. Example: Fibonacci numbers. Tip # 4