Vladimir Lifschitz: Teaching



Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.

(Chinese proverb.)

Rather than knowing the correct rules of thought theoretically, one must have them assimilated into one's flesh and blood ready for instant and instinctive use. Therefore, for the schooling of one's powers of thought only the practice of thinking is really useful.

The imparting of factual knowledge is for us a secondary consideration. Above all we aim to promote in the reader a correct attitude, a certain discipline of thought.

If you are unable to solve a problem, you should not despair. The "Socratic method of teaching" does not aim at drilling people in giving quick answers, but to educate by means of questions.

(From Problems and Theorems in Analysis by Pólya and Szegö.)

Teaching by the Moore method

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