Mathematics For Human Flourishing Reflection

 1. Can you describe 2 places in the chapter that made you stop and think?

Honestly, I had a stop within the second page of the chapter! The story of Christopher is especially powerful because it highlights the raw beauty and attraction of mathematics, its ability to appeal to human desire even when it is supposably stripped of any utility in the given context; it was compelling enough to encourage a man to dedicate himself to study far more seriously than many more privileged university students. I think it is important for us as math teachers to allow students to really appreciate the beauty of math. We need to avoid making it dull and mundane at all costs! Moreover, it is essential for us to remind students that their history or previous shortcomings do not matter if one is truly dedicated. There is always the possibility to learn and grow intellectually; it just might be less practical at times and require significant effort.

Another stop that I had was when the the author writes about the discouraging remark he received from one of the math professors at Harvard. I haven't experienced something quite so direct in my university studies but I seldom experienced support or encouragement from my professors during my undergraduate studies. Moreover, I have heard stories of many other people who endured even more uninspiring feedback in both university and K-12 schooling. This makes me think of how careful we must be as teachers to provide supportive feedback for our students. Even far more innocent remarks could be damaging to a student's self-confidence if they are already on the cusp of self-doubt. With so many students lacking confidence in their ability in mathematics, I believe that this puts a particular onus on math teachers to do better. 

2. What does the phrase "Every being silently cries out to be read differently" (p. 2) mean to you in the context of teaching? Does this phrase connect to your own experiences of learning/teaching?

I think this phrase speaks to the heart of the matter with relationships between student and teacher. Everyone wants to be seen in their best light, yet often we fail to be seen in that way by others or even ourselves. I think it is reasonable to ask that we collectively try to read each other in a way that emphasizes strength and virtue, and recognizes the great potential that we all have to become better versions of ourselves. When teachers view their students in this way, they have the capacity to change a student's entire life. While I don't have any personal narratives that support this idea yet, I can speak on behalf of a man I know who has a learning disability in reading and writing, but is exceptionally gifted intellectually. While he was often derided by his peers and assumed to be stupid in elementary school, his grade 6 teacher was able to flip the narrative, and offered him a chance to present his strengths (particularly his knowledge of world events and politics) in front of the class, thus helping to change the way that he was viewed by his peers and how he viewed himself. To this day, he still credits his grade 6 teacher with positively altering the course of his life for the better. He is now a professional engineer with a career of over 30 years and an extremely well-read man of wisdom.