The Clackamas print., February 02, 2005, Page 3, Image 3

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February 2, 2005
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thematic gymnastics: Instructor portrays math in new light
Amanda Polopolus
The Clackamas Print
With seven years of teaching
under his belt, Math Instructor
Adam Hall has discovered a
Hg way to show students that
Mb’1 math isn’t just a mandatory
K’- class.
‘1 like to tell students
that learning math is
like a gym for the
mind;
Think
of math and
English class­
es as exercises
like the bench
and
press
curl ups,”
said
Hall.
I- ‘It’s all about
2,Clackamas Prifif
develop­
ing the mind.
Taking care of
\ your ’ mind
\ is just as
I v important
as taking
care of your body; if you don’t,
you’re missing out on something
pretty incredible that everyone wants
to have: knowledge and deep reason­
ing. The question is, do we have the
discipline to do it?”
Bom in Yakima, Washington, Hall
grew up mostly in the Portland area,
living here off and on. He graduated
from Portland State University with
a bachelor of science and master’s
degree.
“I was wondering what to do for
a profession and I liked school, so I
decided to stay in school,” said Hall,
who thought there was “a need for
good math teachers.”
Although Hall lives close to cam­
pus, location isn’t the only reason he
came to Clackamas.
“This community college really
has some advantages over others;
we’re compensated well and I like
die philosophy of how the college
works. Everyone works together
well; we all have an excellent work­
ing environment,” he said.”
A live-in math teacher is an extra
bonus for the three children of Hall
and his wife of 16 years, Yolanda.
“[My children] seem to be doing
pretty well,” said Hall. “Hopefully
they’ll pick up the genes.”
Hall’s class may be constructed
a little differently than other math
classes most have taken.
“I like to lecture for half of the
class and let the students work for the
other half of the class.” This gives the
students a chance to practice what
they just learned from the lecture and
ask any questions they may have.
Hall also has a different
approach to the grading process.
Although it changes slightly from
term to term, Hall adds whatever
points a student has missed onto
the worth of the class final.
“I picked this philosophy up
at a job in Illinois; everyone, all
of the teachers did this and it
seems to be easier for students
and keeps the workload reason­
able for everyone,” said Hall.
Hall also has some life advice
he’d like to give to students.
“Keep it simple. Find a few basic
things to focus on or things will get
too complicated,” said Hall. “Like,
when I think about my job, I think
‘Clearly communicating math to
people is the essence of my job.
Making sure I treat people with
respect and fairness.’ They may not
always like my decisions but if I’m
being respectful [they can learn to
respect my decisions].”
Students in Hall’s classes seem to
read this communication well.
“Adam’s pretty energetic,”
said student Donovan Affray. “I
think his lectures are insightful to
the math process.”
Although he’s a nice guy, Hall
wants students to know that his
classes are not ones to glide through
effortlessly.
“Fm not die easiest teacher, but
I’m fair and reasonable. I want the
students to come out of my class
knowing the material reasonably
well,” he said ‘T enjoy working
with people, I love this job, and
it’s great to see people developing
themselves.”
timer ‘05 trip to Spain, Portugal offers hiista
___
tit Wilson
IHlfliras Print
---------------------
’s going to be a nice way to
mt of Portland and Oregon,”
¡Ceramics and Art History
ictor Nora Brodnicki of the
o Spain and Portugal that she
leligion and Social Science
ictor Bill Briare have planned
IBcoming summer.
’ve never taken a group to
i,” said Briare, who has taken
ps of students all over the
1: Egypt, Thailand, England
■ to name a few places.
Ve’re planning a trip that’s
[toe [eryone and anyone,” said
niel I The trip is an opportu-
is interested,
for anyone who
’
ist «udents.
oing ¡through
t'
_ EF Tours, the
proximately $2,400 per
nerson
person for under 25 travelers and
just over $2,600 per person for over
25. The cost covers airfare to Spain
and back, hotel rooms, breakfast
and dinner (but not lunch), tour
costs and museum fees.
What the cost doesn’t cover
is personal insurance, beverages
and daily lunches, customary gra­
tuities for the tour director, driver
and local guides, public transporta­
tion to free-time activities and, of
course, any souvenirs one might
want to bring back to Oregon.
The tour begins in Spain’s capi­
tal, Madrid, home of bullfighting
and the Prado Museum, wherein
is displayed many great works of
art by Goya, Botticelli and Bosch,
among many others.
“I’m really excited to go to
the Prado,” said Brodnicki. “‘The
Garden of Earthly Delights’ [a
painting by Bosh] is one of my
favorite oaintines.
paintings.' ”
there will be the ODnortunities
opportunities of
There will be a guided sight­
walking tours, guided sightseeing
seeing of Madrid with an optional and a visit to the Mosteiro dos
flamenco evening. The next day' Jerónimos built by King Manoel.
will bring with it an optional -The king is now buried there
excursion to see the architectural along with the famous Portuguese
wonders of El Escorial, Valley of explorer Vasco da Gama.
the Fallen (Valle do Los Caidos),
“There’s a lot of flexibility in
and Segovia.
the trip,” said Brodnicki. Those
attending the trip can expect a
After spending four days
in Madrid, the plan is to ride main tour with branching off here
and there.
by bus northwest through the
Sierra de la Cabrera to Santiago
People interested in going
de Compostela. Since medieval should contact either Brodnicki or
times this holy city has been a Briare before the end of February.
major pilgrimage site, its claim to Nora Brodnicki can be reached at
the title of “holy city” being the the college extension 2347. Bill
Briare’s extension is 2457.
tomb of the apostle St. James.
They are also having two infor­
Following two nights in
Santiago de Compostela, with mational meetings, both of which
are in McLoughlin Hall. The first is
attractions including a guided
on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 5:15-6
tour of the city, the group will
travel to Lisbon, Portugal and p.m. and the second is on Friday,
stay there for two days. In Lisbon Feb. 11 from noon-1 p.m.
blando nuestro idioma
— A weekly Spanish-language column------------
ianglish ‘Ni de aqui Ni de allá ' 9
sita la falta de coñosimiento
camisa”. Es una mezcolanza
de traces que júntas hablan
en algunos de los dos idiomas
i The Clackamas Print
por parte de los hablantes. El un idioma que representa a
los hispanos, Para muchos,
origen del .v/iangZ^ÁSe remon­
el spanglish es más que un
idioma Español es ta a 1848, con
- -el Tratado de
o, con sus differentes^.g^^jB^^^idalg«sÍnedian-
lenguaje. Se ha convertido en
ts dependiendo a la 3roel ,qu¡M|M^^X'ópez de una forma de vivir es como
.Santa AnKvendifajystados una manera de sér.
Es un fenómeno que ha
e llamar a un objetó, ■BTOog^y^lBw^^el. terri­
traspasado barreras y ahora
mo muchos objetos lla- torio Mexican
sus
se puede hacer notar en pelí­
habitante^, por J 5 millones de
s cle laí
culas, música, libros, y sobre
o el hispano viene 'a .-4d^tfes. Desde eptonees, la
todo en. las calles. Siempre
ais. se ve envuelto en - mezcla entre lo anglosajón y
lo hispano no se ha detenido.
existen dos lados de un asunto
uevo idioma’’, que apar-
leí Inglés lo podríalas
La mayoría de los hispa­
como en el caso del span­
gar como queMÉilff^m
nos en este,país hemos alguna glish. Algunos piensan que es
ui ni de allá^ jQp^yk; É Vez experimentado esrefenó-.. una nueva sensación. Otros
creen que .daña a los hispa­
meno, o nos hemos dejado lle-
z si el hispano no tiene
Isimentado eisuyo (gl . vat por él en cualquier simple
nos y a «la lengua pura», el
ftfeol), le transforma su
conv crsación: Feeling sick?
Español. Otros son de la opi­
j No te sientes bien? Watch un nión de que el spanglish deve
de expressión.
termino
spanglish poco de televisión. Drink your ser algo . normal.Y muchos
a ser definido como:; té con miel y limón. Habla otros solo se ven indiferentes
guier forma de español on the telephone. Before you
a ésta ola de language. Pero
know it, y de repente,'you’ll
deVida a su tal revolución
mplea una gran canti-
“we are never going to know”
e palabras del Inglés, be feeling ¡excelente!” o algu­
talmente como subsfí- nas otra frates como: “voy
(nunca vamos a saber) cuando
deliberar lías groserías” para es que va a terminar, pero de
de existentes palabras
^Bpañol, o también puede
decir “I am going, to delivfl| lo que si estamos seguros es
^adaptación
de una pala- the groceries”. O también:
er
la
de que “duc to” (devido a)
ta çi p Inglés que cambia de
este idioma a los hispanos nos
“voy a vacunar la carpeta”,
hlgun: Ja forma al Español. Para que viene de la frase “I am
conosenFmás donde quiera. Y
que el spanglish se manifieste
going to vacuum the carpet”, tu “What do you think” (que
en una conversación, se nece-
“you got a mantha on your piensas) ha cerca de él?
I
jornia Martinez
off any coffee
drink
CCC Students &
Employees
(with proof of CCC l£>)
Internet Photo
San Lorenzo de El Escorial is
one of many sites to see on the
‘OS trip to Spain and Portugal,
which is open to all students.
465 Portland Ave.
Gladstone, Oregon
97027
503-650-4876
expires Jan. 1.2005