Why study mathematics?
I already enjoyed mathematics at school because of the logical connections. What I find exciting about mathematics is that, together with physics, answers can be found to everyday questions and the entire universe around us can be described using mathematics and physics. As I was (and still am) always curious to learn new things, I decided to study mathematics.
Why study to become a teacher?
I decided to study to become a teacher because working as a teacher allows me to combine working with pupils with applying my own professional expertise. I already enjoyed imparting knowledge and supporting children and young people when I was tutoring at school and during my studies. During my studies, I learned about the numerous possibilities for preparing content and designing varied lessons. Among other things, the sensible use of digital media in lessons is discussed. My aim is to share my own enthusiasm for mathematics and physics with the students and motivate them to take a closer look at the two subjects and their environment.
How can you imagine studying mathematics?
Right from the first lecture, the difference between math at school and at university became clear. At university, you delve much deeper into the subject matter and look at much more abstract problems and relationships. There is also a big focus on proving statements. At school, on the other hand, many theorems are simply taken for granted. You can get your first insights into mathematics at university in the advanced mathematics course, which is offered as an elective subject in the upper school at many grammar schools. In the lectures, the content of the various areas of mathematics, such as analysis, algebra and stochastics, is taught. There are exercises for the respective lecture content, which give students the opportunity to repeat and deepen the content of the lecture. It is often the case that you don't have the solution in your head straight away and have to work on a problem for a long time. It can therefore be helpful to get together with fellow students to discuss the tasks. It is important to keep at it and not give up too early. In higher semesters, you can then supervise exercise groups and thus take on a kind of "teacher role".
Larissa Wahl
Graduate award winner for outstanding M.Ed. degree at the Department of Mathematics 2024