math and climbing

[ursula]

In November, my article on math anxiety and climbing came out in the magazine Math Horizons. It's about how I used what I know about teaching math to talk myself into climbing a wall. My first climbing partner, Megan, was on the magazine cover:

http://www.maa.org/mathhorizons/nov11.jpg

I've posted a proof of the article on my professional website:

http://people.uwec.edu/whitchua/notes/mathandgymclass-mathhorizons.pdf

Comments

[cathexys]

What a great article! And how very true about setting/creating our own limitations! I'm always amazed when I look at young kids who haven't been told yet that they can't sing/dance/run/... But I also think that a huge part of that is a system that has to measure everything and make it competitive. What a great analogy with the math self failure depictions. I usually tell folks like that that few people are bad at math but people had bad math teachers :)

[wpadmirer]

That is a fabulous article! BRAVO! Would you mind if I put a link to it on my rock gym's Facebook? We're a university town, and many of our climbers are people studying math and physics. I know they would enjoy it.

[rydra_wong]

Thanks so much for posting this! I just wanted to say that I've linked to it here.

[robynbender]

this is so useful! I will be using it with young psychotherapists. One of our big underlying themes is how people think achievements are possible only because of inborn TALENT -- which they have none of -- and are shocked to discover that SKILL can be learned and practiced. (First the therapists have to get that, then they can help their clients.) Brava!

[surexit]

That was a lovely article! (Linked by rydra_wong.) It, uh, actually made me wish I could give maths another go. :D (Also climbing, but the maths thing was more surprising.)