Random musing on pedagogy

While reading DDIA (Designing Data-Intensive Applications),

The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.

—Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1922)

It just occured to me, the most effective teachers are also the ones who are very skilled with languages

1. Prof Tadashi Tokieda

You can find an assortment of videos on YouTube of him. Very entertaining is an understatement.

Prof Tadashi was first a philologist and then subsequently a math professor.

Another YouTube sensation with exceptional teaching skills hailing from Down Under.

Mr Woo was about to major in English and History before switching to mathematics education (due to a shortage of math teachers)

Again a plethora of YouTube videos, but I suspect some readers are already acquainted with his beautiful animations and insights.

However, many do not know that he is quite eloquent with English. Quite the erudite with a vast vocabulary.

Just musing.

The nature of mathematical pedagogy is unwrapping abstractions.

Example: Yes, a typical year 11 (local context JC1) student may have learnt calculus the year before. But do they actually know how it works?

To explain how it works, the teacher needs to paint a picture, into the blank canvases of the student’s mind.

Now imagine doing this to 30-40 minds, simultaneously, in a classroom context.

Without a good command of language, the knowledge transfer will be limited and the picture painted in the minds of students lacking clarity.