have you ever noticed where the usa is ranked in math vs. other countries? americans are lazy in this subject there is no doubt about it.i was wondering if you were a teacher. well first of all i would like to say that as a techer you have my highest respect.teaching others and passing on your knowledge is very admirable. but you know what ? i pictured you as a hard teacher because of the way you would answer my posts(like the 21cm hydrogen line). unfortunatey you cannot instill self-discipline and hard work ethics in everybody. and that is what it takes to get through tough classes. i have noticed as a college student that most of us have a bad habit of leaving class as soon as its over instead of going up to the teacher or a tutor and getting anwers to things that they did not understand about the lecture. so what am i getting at? if 1/3 of the students can make it then the class isnt to hard in my opinion, because the students that drop either honstly thought that they should go back and review the prerequisite course or they thought they would give up or try the easier teacher.
i must admit though the best teacher are the ones who can relate to the common student. the students have the responsibility to make sure they leave no questions unasked and the teacher has the responsibility to explain things as many ways as possible. personally i cannot attest to math but iam currently taking hard courses in physiology and organic chemistry which at least half of the students have dropped by now.