Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#1

Post by quasiben » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:06 PM UTC

Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching
karissamck.com

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#2

Post by a3voices » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:13 PM UTC

Where I work, everyone speaks in countless acronyms that only make sense within the company. It was very difficult for me as a new hire.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#3

Post by robinh » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:27 PM UTC

Good god, if only mathematics professors would learn this. If I hear the word 'trivial' one more time I swear I'm going to scream.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#4

Post by lowmagnet » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:40 PM UTC

robinh wrote: post #3

Good god, if only mathematics professors would learn this. If I hear the word 'trivial' one more time I swear I'm going to scream.

It actually means a specific thing in mathematics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triviality_(mathematics)

(Obvious/easy to prove)

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#5

Post by EliRivers » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:42 PM UTC

lowmagnet wrote: post #4

robinh wrote: post #3

Good god, if only mathematics professors would learn this. If I hear the word 'trivial' one more time I swear I'm going to scream.

It actually means a specific thing in mathematics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triviality_(mathematics) (Obvious/easy to prove)

And it's just as specifically subjective.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#6

Post by jw2013 » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:44 PM UTC

I think the author fails to realize whether saying 'easy' is okay or not really depends on what background your audiences have. For example, in the math class I find the professor saying 'it is trivial to get B from A' is quite okay if the proof of that deduction is something the students have learnt in the lower-level classes. I don't know another way to skip the easy proof without saying it is easy.

If you know how well the person you are talking to know the material you are talking about, then I don't find calling the thing 'easy' is humiliating at all, instead it is a effective way to say "no worries, just do XXX and you are good". A rule of thumb is when you are not sure if it is appropriate to call something easy, just ask the person you are talking to whether he knows that thing. Why stopping using the word 'easy' when we are sure all parties of the conversation gets what you are talking about and think it is indeed easy?

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#7

Post by MCarusi » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:53 PM UTC

What's easy for Mark Zuckerberg isn't easy for a complete novice to whom programming doesn't come naturally.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#8

Post by facepalm » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:53 PM UTC

EliRivers wrote: post #5

lowmagnet wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It actually means a specific thing in mathematics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triviality_(mathematics) (Obvious/easy to prove)

And it's just as specifically subjective.

It would be impossible to spell everything out, though. Then you would have to start every proof by inventing the concept of natural numbers and so on.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#9

Post by facepalm » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:53 PM UTC

Or maybe students could learn that they can actually figure some things out for themselves. Google is also there to help.

Re: Why You Shouldn't Say It's Easy When Teaching

#10

Post by webo » Sun, Apr 27, 2014, 9:55 PM UTC

I think a part of the reason many developers/engineers use words 'easy' or 'just' is because they kind of like to feel more superior than others. This is not necessarily true within the workspace, but it is very true at school or at developer meet-ups.