Why study mathematics?
For me personally, the answer to this question lies in the joy I get from studying mathematics. Even back in school, I realized that I enjoyed doing mathematics - even though the approach to mathematics in school lessons is very different to that at university. At school, students are given mathematics as a finished end product, so to speak, whereas at university it is developed from the ground up. One common denominator between these two worlds that excites me about mathematics is its usefulness - mathematics can be used to formulate concrete problems from the real world and often solve them systematically. I find that very fulfilling. Excitingly, this aspect is even more important to me in my second subject, physics, than in mathematics. But mathematics is not limited to its usefulness. What fascinates me most about studying mathematics is the elegance and depth of the ideas covered. This is no coincidence, because the ideas that mathematicians develop and the problems they investigate are also a reflection of what they find interesting and beautiful. I am also attracted by the challenge posed by the problems on the exercise sheets. I also enjoy the challenge posed by the problems on the exercise sheets. Your own creativity is required here. I particularly like how the initial intuition, which is often just a vague feeling, matures into a complete solution to the problem. Last but not least, mathematics is very versatile, so you have a wide range of topics and questions that you can delve into depending on your interests. You don't have to worry that you won't be able to learn anything new at some point.
Why study to become a teacher?
A key factor in my decision to study to become a teacher was the prospect of a career in which I could work with young people and accompany and support them in their development. This involves a great deal of responsibility, as equal social opportunities and the quality of the school education system are closely linked. I would like to play a small part in ensuring that young people have opportunities. It is particularly important to me that young people can discover their talents and interests. Although mathematics is generally considered a difficult subject, many pupils come to class with great curiosity and interest in real-life issues related to mathematics. It is not an easy challenge to encourage this interest and arouse enthusiasm, but I am convinced that it is worth it. After all, as a teacher, it also gives you great pleasure when you succeed and the pupils leave the lesson with a smile and the feeling that they have learned something interesting.
How can you imagine studying mathematics?
The individual modules teach knowledge and skills in various mathematical areas. In the foundation course, these are usually lectures with exercises. In the lectures, for example, new mathematical terms are defined, axioms (basic assumptions) are introduced and known results and their proofs are shown. Although this is essential in order to be able to do mathematics, it is not yet sufficient, as you mainly understand the ideas of other thinkers here. In order to actively do mathematics, you have to try your hand at mathematical problems yourself. This is done as part of the exercises, for which you prove statements such as “A number times zero is zero”. This takes up most of the time in the foundation course and requires a lot of perseverance. In seminars, you also acquire practical skills such as programming or communicating scientific results. Overall, the entire mathematics course not only teaches knowledge about specific mathematical content, but also general skills such as systematic problem solving. The mathematics degree course for the teaching profession is supplemented by didactic modules that deal with the teaching and learning of mathematics. Beyond the subject, the university has also become a place where I have made friends and spend time with them. On some days, that motivates me to come to university more than the lectures.
How difficult is studying mathematics?
Mathematics studies are often said to be very difficult and have high drop-out rates. In addition, mathematics lessons at school generally offer a very limited insight into mathematics as it is practiced at university. Because of these facts, I was very unsure as a pupil whether studying mathematics was the right thing for me. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to encourage all those who are enthusiastic about mathematics and interested in studying mathematics, but are equally unsure. It is true that studying mathematics is very demanding and time-consuming. During my undergraduate studies, it happened to me several times that I was completely stumped by some exercises and no longer had any fun with them. Sometimes new concepts were confusing even after reading the same passage in the script several times. Looking back, however, I am very glad that I didn't give up in these challenging situations. In the long run, studying mathematics gives you a lot in return. If you are interested in studying mathematics, I can recommend the advanced mathematics course that is offered at some grammar schools in Baden-Württemberg for the advanced level and which I was allowed to attend myself. It provides an insight into some of the content of the first few weeks of study and makes it a little easier to get started. There is also the opportunity to take part in the offerings of the mathematics student circle at the University of Stuttgart, which offers seminars and materials on exciting topics. The approach to mathematics is more similar to studying mathematics than the usual mathematics lessons, which can also help you when choosing a course.
Laurenz Hartmann B.A.
Dr. Karl and Elisabeth Eiseles award for outstanding B.A.degree at the Faculty of Mathematics
and Physics