How to Train Up a New Generation of James Clerk Maxwells
Is it possible to produce mathematicians today of the same caliber as greats like Sir Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell? How can we help young people develop a genuine interest in mathematics, including its history, applications, and philosophy? Today on ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with mathematics educator, curriculum designer, and medical physicist Amos Tarfa. In Part 1, Amos profiled nineteenth century Scottish mathematician and physicist James Clerk Maxwell to help us better understand the great scientist’s contributions and how they relate to today’s debate over evolution and intelligent design. Here in Part 2, Amos tells us more about his vision for math education and how we can train up the next generation of James Clerk Maxwells.
To produce top-caliber scientists and mathematicians today—a “new generation of Maxwells”—Tarfa argues that modern math education must shift from a formula-centric, fragmented approach to a holistic, historical, and philosophical one. Tarfa begins by explaining the current predicament. Traditional K-12 mathematics often fails by removing the context and purpose of the material, leading to unnecessary duplication and cutting off from the ultimate destination, calculus. Tarfa notes that the industrial-age model of learning based on grade level rather than mastery limits a student’s potential.
Instead, says Tarfa, education must focus on teaching not just the “how” of mathematics, but the “when, the who, and the why” behind important concepts. This involves integrating history and philosophy into the curriculum to reveal the order and beauty in the universe that mathematics describes. By studying the stories of greats like Newton, Faraday, and Maxwell, students realize that they were ordinary people who made discoveries due to specific historical and scientific problems. Providing this context can foster excitement and gives students a reason to care about complex problems.
Tarfa also argues that educators should connect mathematics to related disciplines, tying it to physics, chemistry, and other domains to replicate the multidisciplinary thinking used by seventeenth and eighteenth century scientists.
The goal of math education, says Tarfa, is counting all the way to calculus, the culmination of algebra, providing the foundational mathematical language necessary for major scientific advances like James Clerk Maxwell’s groundbreaking equations. Effective math curricula should guide students to the “mountain of calculus” as efficiently as possible.
Enjoy this fresh perspective on math education and the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to learning.
Dig Deeper
- Learn more about Tarfa’s mathematics curriculum and work at www.amosthemathguy.com!
- Watch Part 1 of this interview on our new YouTube channel: