Lecturer of Mathematics
Make math interesting. Often times Ms. Rablau thinks professors are so concerned with "getting to the end of
the book" that they forget about teaching for understanding. What good does it do to teach a vast number of
topics when the students are not understanding any of the material or maybe just a few topics? We need to
teach mathematics for understanding. We need to incorporate everyday life experiences into the mathematics
classroom and connect to student experiences with mathematical concepts. Mathematics is too often taught
as a cold, distant science with an endless list of formulas and seemingly no connection between topics. Ms.
Rablau brings excitement, using energy and enthusiasm to teach ideas while guiding students along a path
where each new concept a natural consequence of the previous and a natural precursor to the following.
Make math possible. Even Ms. Rablau has to admit that math is not always easy. But when presented in the
right way, math is not the Leviathan that it is often made out to be. By learning theorems well, calculating
examples that illustrate concepts and studying difficult cases that need special attention, students can tackle
any problem. She reminds her students that while a problem may be long, they have all the tools needed to
solve it.
Make math relevant. Perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome is that of student apathy toward the
subject. On more than one occasion, she has had a student raise a hand in class to ask, “When will I ever need
this?” not believing that what he or she is learning will be of any use beyond the course final. To respond, she
stresses that mathematics does have a profound impact our daily lives. While everyone agrees math does
have a practical purpose, students will often point to the more tedious calculations as proof of math’s
irrelevance. And while it’s true that they may never need to row-reduce a matrix again, the ability to think
rationally, to clearly organize ideas, and to accurately apply concepts are traits that will always have a practical
application. But perhaps more importantly, mathematics is beautiful. A well-constructed proof, a simple trick
to solve a problem, this is the beauty of mathematics. If the student sees math as not only a means to an end
but an end in itself, they develop respect and admiration for the subject.
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About Gina Rablau
Make math interesting. Often times Ms. Rablau thinks professors are so concerned with "getting to the end of
the book" that they forget about teaching for understanding. What good does it do to teach a vast number of
topics when the students are not understanding any of the material or maybe just a few topics? We need to
teach mathematics for understanding. We need to incorporate everyday life experiences into the mathematics
classroom and connect to student experiences with mathematical concepts. Mathematics is too often taught
as a cold, distant science with an endless list of formulas and seemingly no connection between topics. Ms.
Rablau brings excitement, using energy and enthusiasm to teach ideas while guiding students along a path
where each new concept a natural consequence of the previous and a natural precursor to the following.
Make math possible. Even Ms. Rablau has to admit that math is not always easy. But when presented in the
right way, math is not the Leviathan that it is often made out to be. By learning theorems well, calculating
examples that illustrate concepts and studying difficult cases that need special attention, students can tackle
any problem. She reminds her students that while a problem may be long, they have all the tools needed to
solve it.
Make math relevant. Perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome is that of student apathy toward the
subject. On more than one occasion, she has had a student raise a hand in class to ask, “When will I ever need
this?” not believing that what he or she is learning will be of any use beyond the course final. To respond, she
stresses that mathematics does have a profound impact our daily lives. While everyone agrees math does
have a practical purpose, students will often point to the more tedious calculations as proof of math’s
irrelevance. And while it’s true that they may never need to row-reduce a matrix again, the ability to think
rationally, to clearly organize ideas, and to accurately apply concepts are traits that will always have a practical
application. But perhaps more importantly, mathematics is beautiful. A well-constructed proof, a simple trick
to solve a problem, this is the beauty of mathematics. If the student sees math as not only a means to an end
but an end in itself, they develop respect and admiration for the subject.
| Present | Lecturer of Mathematics, Kettering University ‐ Department of Mathematics | |
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Disciplines
Courses
| 2001 | M.S. in Statistics, West Virginia University | |
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Contact Information
Math
AB 2-135H
810-762- 7907
grablau@kettering.edu