So, last week I sent this story in an e-mail to a few former professors from my undergrad days at Ursinus (so if you received that e-mail you needn’t read any farther because you already know the ending…). But I am so attached to this story I figured I’d share it with all my blog readers too. My comments from the present that weren’t in the original e-mail are in square brackets []. The stuff in normal parentheses WERE in the original e-mail.

Today [last Thursday] in my Intro to Topology class, the professor [who kind of reminds me of a slightly older, equally awesome, somewhat cranky version of Dr. Goebeler, for those readers who get that reference] made an offhand comment when talking about appropriate proof-writing techniques. He was talking about what was correct, what was incorrect, and the harshness with which our deviation from the “right” way would be punished in homework grades. He frequently appeals to the analogy of good math is like good code (which of course is a sure way to appeal to the poor computer scientist in me that is being overshadowed by the mathematician in me these days). My favorite part of this analogy (so far) was tacked on today. He mentioned offhand that he would be grading our homework proofs like a compiler, finding all the errors. He said that he would be like a “bad” compiler, unable to interpret anything and a single syntax error would stop him dead in his tracks and drive him crazy. However, I chimed in that he’s actually a great compiler – he finds the errors, highlights where they are, and suggests ways in which the error can be fixed and/or avoided. (Oh, if only all compilers did this for us!)

Anyway, my brain is now hard at work dissecting my new favorite simile: “A good teacher is like a good compiler.”

So, that’s my insightful (?) thought to share for the day. Like I said, I’m not sure if this is a standard or well-known analogy, but I’d never heard it as an undergrad and I rather like it. It’s too bad it’s lost on so many of the mathematicians…

Sorry if you (A) don’t get it or (B) don’t find it as profound as I do. But it struck me for some reason. At least this math department is somewhat still sparking my CS interests. A speaker here last semester came in talking about some computability problem that reminded me of a mash of my Algorithms and Theory of Computation classes I took in CS at Ursinus and made me really miss them (the classes, professors, and fellow CS students). And now my topology professor’s tendency to reference good coding practices brings back so many memories as well. AND I’m marginally dismayed that I didn’t take the logic class that was offered last semester. I read a few of the assignments that were given in that class and it was like a hardcore version of Theory of Computation. I probably would have loved it. Oh well. Maybe I’ll do an individualized reading course somewhat like that in the future. I have so many things I want to study more (algebra, combinatorics, logic, etc). I don’t have enough time for extra math reading/studying so I’ll need to fit them into my degree plan somehow. And I need to find myself a mini coding project of some kind so my skills don’t get completely rusty.