I still don't think it's me...

[quasigeostrophy]

...but I'm seriously disliking this math class (PDEs).

Prof sticks to rigorous derivations in strictly general terms. Even when he gives a so-called example, it doesn't have numbers or even specific functions. It's still in a general sense.

For each of the homeworks so far, he's covered very little of the methods required to do the problems.

The official text is worse than his lectures in terms of generalities and mathematical rigor.

The latest assignment is due Friday. As of last Friday's class he had covered nothing directly applicable to any of the eight problems. And then he canceled class for today and Wednesday, without changing the due date.

I worked from home today and got maybe four and a half of the problems done (just over half the assignment) using the 'net, two other texts I got from the library, and three others of my own. I have no idea if they're even close to being correct, but IMHO they're done.

I've been to talk to the prof when I had trouble earlier. It didn't help much. His office hours aren't exactly at a convenient time for me, either. IMHO, seeing how bureaucratic the math department is here, I don't think it would help one bit to talk to the department head.

Comments

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

Yuck, that sounds horrible. I wonder if he's just burned out or distracted (having cancelled class for 2 days). Do the other students feel the same way?

I do wish I'd had the resources look up stuff on the net in my college math classes.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

He had to take off two days to proctor some exams for his undergrad calculus class.

And, yes, although I forgot to mention it in the post, the vast majority of the other students feel the same.

[elmegil.livejournal.com]

What is the percentage of math majors to "other" majors in your course?

If it's significantly less than 50% math majors, sounds to me like yet another instance of the "wash out" method. At Bradley in engineering school, it was physics. I took physics on the "off" semester, and it was a piece of cake. I suspect the prof thought I was a physics major.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

There are about 15-18 students in the class, and at the last count (he asked last week), only 3 raised their hands as math students. At the start of the semester, when the room looked more full (about 25 students), I think all the now-missing students were also math majors.

I remember physics also being the wash-out for engineering at Purdue my freshman year. However, this a graduate level class and isn't specifically a requirement for anyone but math PhD students who elect to take the Qualifying Exam for that subject (PDEs). I'm annoyed that they don't offer a "PDEs for Scientists and Engineers" version, along with my specific annoyance at this prof.

[elmegil.livejournal.com]

Even if it isn't washout, sounds like he holds a grudge.