Undoing Common Student Mistakes and Leading by Example

This is where I spend most of my time with students. When students know where the traps are they learn so much especially after they have made the mistake a few times!!

How many times did it take me?? When I worked as an engineer, it took me a while to learn that if the oscilloscope shows no sign of life it is likely the wrong channel has been chosen or the wrong probe has been picked up. I probably made this mistake about once a month in the first year I worked as an engineer. It stumped me enough times that eventually I learned to check it!!

This is a valuable lesson for Math, for life and for engineers ;)