| Assistant Professor | Office hours: |
|---|---|
| Mercer University | Monday 10-11 |
| Ware Hall 220 | Wednesday 1-2 |
| 478-301-5982 | Thursday 3-4 |
| e-mail: yackel_ca@mercer.edu | Friday 10-11 |
Class Web Pages
Click here for MAT 191 Fall 2004
Click here for MAT 260 Fall 2004
Expository Writings to Help Students
Solving Optimization Problems
A Note About Writing Proofs
Project NExT Links
Click here for notes from the Project NExT Grants Panel in San
Antonio
The Project
NExT Web Site
Professional Information
Education:
1992 The
University of Chicago, S.B.
1994 The University
of Michigan, M.S.
1998 The University
of Michigan, Ph.D.
Thesis Advisor: Mel Hochster
Mathematical Interests: Mathematics Education (MR: 97) and Commutative Algebra (MR: 13). Though I was trained as a commutative algebraist, my current interests are in scholarship of teaching and learning and mathematics education. Currently, I am thinking about how teachers' implicit beliefs about teaching and learning affect their use of instructional materials, how using homework of a certain type affects student retention of early course material (with Jeff Denny), and connections between mathematics and fiber arts (with sarah-marie belcastro).
Publications
Mathematics Publications:
Personal Interests
Pottery
Places to take pottery classes besides the
universities:
In Bloomington, IN:
The Waldron Art Center.
I loved the classes I took from Susan Snyder. She now teaches individual lessons in Majolica, a traditional Italian technique for painting pottery. Her fabulous work is available in many locations around Bloomington, including Oliver Winery, and from Studio Majolica, her home studio.
The Creative Learning Center. Kris Bush is an excellent teacher, although at the moment she no longer teaches there. Her pottery is also available at shops around Bloomington, including Falling Water. By clicking on her name, you can go to the website for the studio she runs along with photographer Scott Johnson.
In
Ann Arbor, MI:
The Ann Arbor Art Association. I took from I. B. Remsen, a
terrific potter and a wonderful teacher. The Art Center also has a wonderful gift shop.
Crocheting--I've made many snowflakes and several tablecloths. I also like making doilies, but I think lots of people use them badly. When I was young I made many, many afghans.
Tatting--Someday you'll be able to click here for
pictures of some things I've made. Here, too, doilies are good. But my favorite things to make are edgings, which I then use for bookmarks.
Knitting--I've made a number of pairs of socks, especially for babies. For the latest deluge of babies I've made sweaters.
sarah-marie belcastro and I have been coordinating a Knitting Network at national mathematics meetings for several years now. Our next get together will be in Atlanta in 2005 at the Joint Math Meetings. Please bring your project! It needn't be knitting: we accept all crafters and others who want to hang out.
You can see things sarah-marie belcastro has
made.
Knitted
math stuff, by sarah-marie belcastro
Origami--For a while there I was into origami. I should qualify that by saying that I tried hard, but became no expert. Still, for at least one baby, I made a mobile of cranes. I am also happy to report that I will be Tom Hull's assistant for the MAA minicourse on Math and Origami at the Joint Meetings January 2005 in Atlanta.
Temari--I had another short-lived obsession with Temari Balls. They are balls (I used styrofoam) wrapped with thread and then embroidered. The geometry is amazing. Clearly, this is the place to see geometry on the sphere. It is easy to use these to demonstrate that triangles on the sphere need not have interior angles summing to 180 degrees. In addition, they are excellent for exhibiting the duality pairs of the Platonic solids. Besides that, they are beautiful.
Cooking
Swing
Dancing
Gardening