tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post3786808259900719827..comments2023-11-05T03:45:25.001-08:00Comments on God Plays Dice: A Russian teacher in AmericaMichael Lugohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15671307315028242949noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-11610002939176216042008-12-06T21:28:00.000-08:002008-12-06T21:28:00.000-08:00Here is another diatribe by Toom. The main point: ...Here is another <A HREF="http://letsplaymath.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/word-problems-in-russia-and-america/" REL="nofollow">diatribe</A> by Toom. The main point: American mathematical education SUCKS.mishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01166708933155105921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-63006628380124993192008-12-06T21:13:00.000-08:002008-12-06T21:13:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.mishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01166708933155105921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-62111300020225469212008-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:002008-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:00I've read a number of articles by Toom, and I don'...I've read a number of articles by Toom, and I don't think the three points outlined by Jonathan are quite where Toom is coming from. I think he is sincere in his desire to teach and reach students, and honestly perplexed by his experiences with students here; I don't think he is putting on airs. <BR/><BR/>You can glean a bit more of his own educational background from this [much shorter] <A HREF="http://www.de.ufpe.br/~toom/articles/engeduc/CIRCLES.PDF" REL="nofollow">review</A> which appeared in the American Mathematical Monthly some years ago -- apparently very different from what is typical here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-63680629435267987562008-12-01T01:18:00.000-08:002008-12-01T01:18:00.000-08:00I'm a bit surprised to see this resurface now, sin...I'm a bit surprised to see this resurface now, since I thought it got a certain amount of notice when brought up last year, via one of Alexandre Borovik's old posts. See e.g.<BR/><BR/>http://letsplaymath.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/word-problems-in-russia-and-america/<BR/><BR/>I seem to remember skimming Toom's essay and, while not agreeing with all of its diagnoses or recommendations, feel Jonathan at comment #1 might be being prematurely harsh. The three points he mentions can with minor alterations apply to any self-identified "non-indigenous group", no?<BR/><BR/>However, as I'm not familiar with the "genre", I admit that perhaps this sort of thing becomes more trying when wheeled out repeatedly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-12268165830276392232008-11-30T18:34:00.000-08:002008-11-30T18:34:00.000-08:00I think that the last paragraph of page 13 (of the...I think that the last paragraph of page 13 (of the PDF = page 129 of the journal) is telling:<BR/><BR/>"I understand that I have very little experience with the bulk of the Russian population. Most of my students in Moscow were children of intellectuals, because in Russia (as in most countries) a much smaller percentage of youngsters than in U.S. go into higher education. In fact, what is going on in America is an experiment: to give higher education to those strata of society which remain deprived of it in most other countries. My concern is that this should really be an education, not an imitation."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264226589944705290.post-7134822817482576982008-11-30T18:03:00.000-08:002008-11-30T18:03:00.000-08:00That's a really tough read. He reports on the moti...That's a really tough read. He reports on the motivations of people he has never met and on what he had for breakfast with the same style and tone. It's not him - Soviet emigre writing tends to make three points: 1. Me, or my group, or my family, or my friends, or my associates were absolutely unbelievably wonderful. 2. There is a secret to understanding why Soviet society was both horrible and great, and I will share it with the reader, and 3. America is powerful and wonderful, but vulnerable because it's people and leaders are stupid.<BR/><BR/>Of course, these sorts of theses were never short (need adequate space for the author to praise himself).<BR/><BR/>I can't believe they still float around.<BR/><BR/>JonathanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com