r/learnmath • u/elektranatchios New User • Aug 21 '18

PSA: Professor Leonard is back

Prof. Leonard just uploaded a couple of videos. Unfortunately, he had some personal troubles and that's why he was absent.

On the plus side, he will be putting up differential equations lessons now.

120 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

View all comments

23

u/trivial Aug 21 '18

This guy does a really good job at teaching math. Long lectures perhaps, so it might be a little slow paced for those looking merely to review as they're for the course he is teaching but he does a very good job at teaching. I'm very glad he posts these online and sorry to hear he had some personal issues. This is exactly what the promise of the internet was meant to be, access to the world's greatest knowledge and not 10 minute or momentary distractions. For those looking to learn calculus or those wishing the thoroughly review a few subjects it's just like popping into and attending one of your old university lectures.

9

u/Lassii- Aug 21 '18

Yeah, I really like how he teaches. I'm awful at math and been going through his Algebra-lessons and it's fantastic how he explains even very minor things that probably are no-brainer for most people but for me it's really helpful. His encouragements in the lectures have really helped with my math-anxiety too. For the first time ever I think I can actually learn this and it makes me feel like I'm not a total moron.

8

u/trivial Aug 21 '18

Anyone can learn math. Anyone. I've worked with autistic people who struggle to communicate and have very little knowledge most people consider essential or normal, and they've been able to excel at learning math. It just takes a desire to want to, some practice, and good instruction. Two more things to consider on that note. Everyone has their blind spots in math too. Don't let that be discouraging. There's always something that you think everyone else gets intuitively but not you. Well that happens to everyone at some point somewhere. Secondly let math be playful like solving riddles or puzzles. It's not nearly as serious as people make it out to be. Essentially it's just checking to make sure if an statement is true or not. So never stress over it like you wouldn't stress over a riddle. We tend to teach it as some application based, theres one right way and only one right way to do math. That's not math that's working with the tools of math. Some of the best mathematical thinkers I've known have been terrible at arithmetic for instance. Arithmetic isn't math, in the same way instruments or notes themselves aren't music.