Mr. Brown*

(This is an old piece of writing that I found the other day. Probably written during class. Definitely sarcastic.)

"If you see a new number or symbol, don't pass out."

This entry is dedicated to the wonderful man that I quoted above. Mr. Brown, my math teacher. He is probably the most creative math teacher I've ever heard of. He tells us all these stories about the people who invented certain formulas. Believe me, I'll need to know all about these people later in life. As an English major, I'll probably be asked daily who Guass is, and thanks to Mr. Brown, I'll have an answer. Mr. Brown also realizes that some of us in the class are not math people. Whenever he makes a profound statement, such as "1 plus 99 equals 100, and 2 plus 98 equals 100," he pauses for a long time to make sure no one has any questions. Since I've been in the class (four days now) we have done a grand total of six problems in class. Mr. Brown says he doesn't want to ruin the fun for us by telling us the formulas for all the problems. He's really very considerate. Since Fundamental Concepts of Math is really a 132 class for teachers, Mr. Brown wants to make sure we don't go unprepared out into the world. He explained to us that matchsticks are not best to use in math problems. Some things that might work better are popsicle sticks, or toothpicks, though toothpicks may be somewhat sharp. He's the kind of teacher that looks as if he's making up formulas and theories right on the spot. I always wonder if he's correct or really just a janitor acting as a professor. 

*The name has been changed to protect everyone involved.