RRJ # 3

Reference: 

Buck, H. (2011). Math students put skills to work building house. The Columbian. Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/21/building-on-homework/?print

Summary:

In this news report, Evergreen and Mountain View high schools let their students use study and use math by practical activities. They think this is a better way than justs teach the students in classroom. They make this activity become a match which can promote self- confidence and teamwork ability. All the students who join this special class say they learn something from it. Thiy think it is a good way to connect math with daily life. Evergreen hope they can sell those house in order to recoup materials costs.

Reaction:

I am very interested in this kind of news reports which telling us that mathematics is a practicable and usual tool in our daily life. Students should understand that the math skills them have learned is much more useful beyond their imagination. This is a good start for learning applied mathematics. If students like to learn and use mathematics this way, then we should use it as normal. I also agree with the reporter that this is not just about math, practical activities can offer many good effects for students. Teamwork ability is an important personal quality in now days, people who know how to work with others can always do better job. Experiences are more valuable than knowledge in some way. And I believe that applied mathematics is the kind of knowledge can easily guide our action. We can get experiences by using our knowledge, and test the knowledge in the real world in order to prove it. 

Arthur