Carol S Schumacher Kenyon College Schumacher Ckenyon edu

Carol S. Schumacher Kenyon College Schumacher. C@kenyon. edu LEGACY

R. L. Moore and Associates H. J. Ettlinger H. S. Wall R. L. Moore

R. L. Moore and Associates H. S. Wall H. J. Ettlinger John Neuberger Robert Eslinger Carol Schumacher

Legacy something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past— Merriam Webster

The Moore Plan Moore’s Objective: To train students to do research in pure mathematics. Moore’s Primary Tactic: Hand-picking his students: finding and developing (creative) mathematical talent and enthusiasm, often where it was not before known to exist Moore was very tenacious: Once he set his sites on a student, that student’s fate was pretty much sealed.

Features of Moore’s Method R. L. Wilder 1. Selection of students capable of coping with the type of material to be studied. 2. Controlling size of group: 4 -8 students. 3. Injection of the proper amount of intuitive material, as an aid in the construction of proofs. 4. Insistence, by the students themselves, on rigorous proof and extreme clarity. 5. Encouragement, even promotion, of competition among the students. From an address: quoted in R. L. Moore, Mathematician and Teacher by John Parker, pgs. 216 -217.

Moore’s Rules and Mores • Students prove theorems; present their proofs in class • No textbooks for the course; no outside sources consulted • No external help; no discussion of problems outside of class • Students criticize weaknesses or inaccuracies in presented proofs • There was no attempt to cater to the “average” student. “The pace was set by the most talented. ” (R. L. Wilder)

There is a lot of misunderstanding No books, no lectures no outside sources, just you. . .

Explaining what I do “That’s interesting. I just don’t see how it’s teaching. ” ---An award-winning Physics Professor from Cal. Tech

Modified Moore Methods “Only one person has ever taught by The Moore Method and that person is R. L. Moore. ”

Core of the Moore Method R. D. Anderson “I think that the substance of [Moore’s] successful teaching was largely his interest in the development of ideas, intellectual ideas, mathematical ideas, on the part of his students. ”

Basic Assumptions 1. My main job as a teacher is to work towards the goal of making my students independent of me. Ideally, this means that I must. . . 2. Elevate my students from recipients to creators of knowledge. 3. Virtually all students can do mathematics, if given the time they need to wrestle with mathematical ideas.

Ways and Means Give students the time to discover, present, and debate mathematics ; let them recognize the power of their minds.

Our students! 10, 000 hours Us

Ways and Means Have students responsible for moving the class forward by having them tackle mathematics that is both significant and central.

Ways and Means Carefully match problems and material to students; make challenges vary widely in difficulty so that all students can both succeed and be stretched mathematically.

Features of Moore’s Method R. L. Wilder 1. Selection of students capable of coping with the type of material to be studied. 2. Controlling size of group: 4 -8 students. 3. Injection of the proper amount of intuitive material, as an aid in the construction of proofs. 4. Insistence, by the students themselves, on rigorous proof and extreme clarity. 5. Encouragement, even promotion, of competition among the students. From an address: quoted in R. L. Moore, Mathematician and Teacher by John Parker, pgs. 216 -217.

Features of Moore’s Method R. L. Wilder 1. Selection of students capable of coping with the type of material to be studied. 2. Controlling size of group: 4 -8 students. 3. Injection of the proper amount of intuitive material, as an aid in the construction of proofs. 4. Insistence, by the students themselves, on rigorous proof and extreme clarity. 5. Encouragement, even promotion, of competition among the students. From an address: quoted in R. L. Moore, Mathematician and Teacher by John Parker, pgs. 216 -217.

Features of Moore’s Method 1. Selection of students capable of coping with the type of material to be studied. 2. Controlling size of group: 4 -8 students. 3. Injection of the proper amount of intuitive material, as an aid in the construction of proofs. R. L. Wilder 4. Insistence, by the students themselves, From an address: on rigorous proof and extreme clarity. quoted in 5. Encouragement, even promotion, of R. L. Moore, Mathematician and competition among the students. Teacher by John Parker, pgs. 216 -217.

A Different Shaped Fence “What Moore did when he had a group of people in class was to go through a kind of group learning exercise with Moore, the teacher, in control. I know that Moore did not believe in cooperative learning. . . but I think many of Moore’s R. D. Anderson teaching techniques can be done formally using cooperative learning. . . as an From an interview: alternative [to] the highly competitive quoted in R. L. Moore, [environment that] he generated in Mathematician and class. ” Teacher by John Parker, pgs. 216 -217.

Why teach using the Moore Method? Who is it for? Paul R. Halmos

Mathematicians! H. J. Ettlinger 27 39 Ph. D 8 D. s esc tude en nts da nts R. L. Moore 50 Ph. D. students 2750 Descendants H. S. Wall nts e ud ants t s. nd D. h sce P 66 0 De 37 Moore was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, as were three of his students—R. H. Bing, G. T. Whyburn, and R. L. Wilder.

Service to the Profession President of AMS 1937 -1938 R. L. Wilder 1955 -1956 G. T. Whyburn 1953 -1954 R. H. Bing 1977 -1978

Presidents of the MAA R. H. Bing 1963 -1964 R. L. Wilder 1965 -1966 G. S. Young 1969 -1970 R. D. Anderson 1981 -1982 E. E. Moise 1967 -1968 Lida K. Barrett 1989 -1990

And there’s more… • (Vice President of AMS) x 2 • Associate Secretary and then Secretary of the AMS for 17 years. • Treasurer of the AMS • (Distinguished service award from MAA) x 3 • Several editors and associate editors of major journals of the AMS • Lester R. Ford Award • Chauvenet Prize • Numerous Department chairs, some for many years.

Legacy (15 th Century)--A body of persons sent on a mission. ---Oxford English Dictionary

Ben Fitzpatrick John Neuberger Harry Lucas Ron Douglas Albert Lewis

Ted Mahavier Lee and Bill Mahavier Jean Mahavier

Ed Parker Ted Mahavier Lee and Bill Mahavier Judy Kennedy Jean Mahavier

Bob Eslinger Mike Starbird Ed Burger Ted Odell

Marie Snipes Teena Carroll Eric Kahn Judy Holdener

Judith Covington Gavin Larose Ron Taylor Jackie Jensen Stan Yoshinobu