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WEEK 3 

 

Briefly Summary:

The article discusses the limitations and failures of grid systems and explores the possibility of alternative geometries. Edward Doolittle combines his knowledge of mathematics and Indigenous traditions, analyzing grid system shortcomings through examples in mapping, measurement, coordinating actions between flowers and bees, land treaty miscalculations, and chaos theory. From the perspective of a First Nations mathematician, Doolittle humorously and insightfully suggests new possibilities for "off the grid" approaches in mathematics and environmental education.


STOP 1："We have been drawn off the grid by following ancient traditions of giving thanks, of thinking of the river and the town as just parts of a whole, and of opening our eyes and widening our perspective to see the world as it is, not as we might just imagine it to be."

Our perceptions of the world are often shaped by the structured environments we've created, leading us to forget the natural world's inherent complexity and beauty. It's a wake-up call to appreciate and observe nature's own systems and patterns, which operate with or without human intervention. This realization encourages us to step back from our preconceived notions of how the world should look and operate, inviting us to reconnect with the natural world in a more profound and respectful way. And it makes me think: what we consider reasonable for humans, is it equally reasonable for nature?

 

STOP 2："Concepts that are useful on a small scale, such as plane Euclidean geometry with its grounding in straight lines, circles, grids, and other rigid figures, fail to scale to environments that are large compared to the earth, fail to transfer to the natural landscape, and completely fail to capture or even describe some of the more complicated shapes of nature.  "

I've realized our usual ways of thinking and tools might not fully grasp how complex nature really is. It reminds me that the patterns and scales in the world around us don't fit neatly into simple boxes. This thought pushes me to go beyond what I'm used to, making me question if our usual methods really get to the heart of how the natural world works.


QUESTION：Considering the diverse examples of grid failures and alternatives explored in Edward Doolittle's analysis, from the practical to the philosophical, what changes could we make in our daily lives or professional practices to align more closely with the natural, less structured systems?


评论

  1. Julian 2024年2月13日 18:58

    In my practice as an educator, something I can do to integrate nature into my teaching is to incorporate more outdoor nature-based activities. In the subject of mathematics, this can look like “math walks” in nature. These walks would allow students to observe and analyze various geometrical patterns found in nature like spirals, Fibonacci sequences, and fractals. Furthermore, these walks could also help to teach about the interdisciplinary nature of mathematics. Through these walks, students could be taught about the role of mathematics as a fundamental tool for understanding the processes in ecosystems

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  2. Renu2024年2月13日 21:24

    As educators, we can incorporate the natural environment into our classroom rather than sitting in the same rows as a grid system. We always think that we need a timetable for every successful thing. But, in my opinion, sometimes, we can change the rules of the grid system. For classroom teaching, everyone thinks that mathematics is a hard subject so teachers should be strict. Teachers should act as friends, and mentors to them. We can teach math by taking them outside in a natural setting.

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