Department of Mathematics
University of Oklahoma
Many people believe that math achievement is pre-determined; that there are math people and people who 'can't do math'. I believe that this idea is the single greatest impediment to learning. It downplays the impact of effort and legitimizes the desire to give up upon encountering struggle.
Instead, I try to instill in my students a belief that their potential is unknown and unknowable. Neither I nor them can determine in advance how well they will do. I try to show my students that struggle and even failure is not something to fear.
When we encounter struggle, our natural reaction is to give up. This is true for anyone, including me. My goal as a teacher is to help my students fight that instinct. People only become stronger through difficulty.
I work at the University Math Help Center, located in the Physical Sciences Center, Room 232. My current hours are: Tuesday 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Thursday 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. I currently work there as a tutor in ordinary differential equations, beginning calculus, and advanced calculus. I also privately tutor math classes up to the multivariable calculus level. If you are interested in scheduling a session, e-mail me at pbretz@ou.edu.
I am currently teaching the discussion section for Math 2924-020. If you are in my course, you can access our main course page through Canvas.