On Teaching (1990-1999)

"True Dialogue occurs when teachers ask questions to which they do not presume to already know the 'correct answer'." (Jay Lemke, "Talking Science: Language, Learning and Values", 1990)

"One of the lessons that the history of mathematics clearly teaches us is that the search for solutions to unsolved problems, whether solvable or unsolvable, invariably leads to important discoveries along the way. (Carl B Boyer & Uta C Merzbach, "A History of Mathematics", 1991)

"Probability does pervade the universe, and in this sense, the old chestnut about baseball imitating life really has validity. The statistics of streaks and slumps, properly understood, do teach an important lesson about epistemology, and life in general. The history of a species, or any natural phenomenon, that requires unbroken continuity in a world of trouble, works like a batting streak. All are games of a gambler playing with a limited stake against a house with infinite resources. The gambler must eventually go bust. His aim can only be to stick around as long as possible, to have some fun while he's at it, and, if he happens to be a moral agent as well, to worry about staying the course with honor!" (Stephen J Gould, 1991)

"[...] the first reason for teaching science to non scientists is that many of these nonscientists have a genuine desire to learn about science, and this, after all, is the best reason for teaching anything to anyone." (Jeremy Bernstein, "Cranks, Quarks, and the Cosmos: Writings on Science", 1993)

"We have to teach non-statisticians to recognize where statistical expertise is required. No one else will. We teach students how to solve simple statistical problems, but how often do we make any serious effort to teach them to recognize situations that call for statistical expertise that is beyond the technical content of the course." (Christopher J Wild, "Embracing the ‘Wider view’ of Statistics", The American Statistician 48, 1994)

"There are aspects of statistics other than it being intellectually difficult that are barriers to learning. For one thing, statistics does not benefit from a glamorous image that motivates students to persist through tedious and frustrating lessons[...]there are no TV dramas with a good-looking statistician playing the lead, and few mothers’ chests swell with pride as they introduce their son or daughter as 'the statistician'." (Chap T Le & James R Boen, "Health and Numbers: Basic Statistical Methods", 1995)

"Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching, and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning." (Paulo Freire, "Pedagogy of Freedom", 1996)

"Because no one becomes statistically self-sufficient after one semester of study, I try to prepare students to become intelligent consumers of the assistance that they will inevitably seek. Service courses train future clients, not future statisticians." (Michael W Tosset, "Statistical Science", 1998)

"A teacher who cannot explain any abstract subject to a child does not himself thoroughly understand his subject; if he does not attempt to break down his knowledge to fit the child's mind, he does not understand teaching." (Fulton J Sheen, "Life Is Worth Living", 1999)