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Interview with Masao Sugiyama

Recent Teaching History
MIT; 2000-1
Data to Information; 1999-2000
Matter and Motion; Winter/Spring 1999
Concepts of Computing; Spring 1999; Spring 1998

Are there particular authors/artists/thinkers whose work you interested and which you often ask students to examine?

"Mathematics education and where that is going. I plan to volunteer in public schools when I return to teaching in 1997-98."
The research of Uri Treisman influenced Masao's ideas about how mathematics is taught. The guidelines from the National Council for the Teaching of Mathematics and education reform in Washington State have encouraged him to find out what is happening in math classrooms (K-12).

Key Qualities Of Student Work:

"I stress very complete solutions, clear statement of the problem, how the problem was approached, and the methods of solutions. In terms of mathematics - assessment requires that the problem makes sense: What is the problem? Students figure out for themselves: Is the problem clearly stated? Is the solution clear? It is not about the right answer or the appropriate method - I believe you state the problem and tell me how you thought about the problem and how you came about the solution."

Teaching Style:
How would you characterize yourself as a teacher?

"I am...disorganized and things are not very clear, so students who do very well are the ones who can put up with disorganized people whose goals don't seem particularly clear. It's like everything else I do, I'm good with students who don't need a teacher. The ones who do OK are the ones who don't like math, have never done well, are not good at it or who don't think of themselves as very good at mathematics because I am really patient and can think of ten different ways to do something. I've taught mathemathics enough so that I can say "if that doesn't work try this." Those two groups tend to do really well with me. The students who have simply followed the rules and want a standard mathematics class tend to find it painful to be with me. Student evaluations say positive things about my teaching."

Expectations about Contracts

"I want evidence that they work well independently, some evidence that they have thought about what they want to do and have a clear plan. I like to see that it is something that I could actually help them with. In the future, I am going to make really clear deadlines for my contract students and hold students to them. I am going to be clear about the performance expectations and about the piece of work the student is going to do. I"d like to see previous performance evaluations regarding consciously finishing work on time, examples of on-going work, and how this contract would enhance what they have done."

Interviewer: Yvonne Peterson

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Last Updated: March 15, 2007