"We Gather in Ignorance..."

My student and I had a productive session today. She's gotten hold of a whiteboard at home; she writes her calculations on it, photographs them, wipe and repeat; she then e-mails me the photos.

While we were discussing her work, I saw a few things she wasn't quite clear on, and tried to clarify them. But her work... She's using the techniques I've taught her, but she's using them in directions I hadn't anticipated, and as a result she's discovered a few things I did not know. (I told her so, which pleased her immensely.)

Her attacks are a bit crude, but she carries them through. I suggested a few things which might add some polish; we'll see how that comes out. In any event, I'm very pleased with her.

Context Matters

I'm rereading Bujold's "A Civil Campaign", and ran across one of my favorite sentences in her entire oeuvre:

"Both of them stared with inexplicable dismay at the harmless piece of old furniture."

("Barrayar" was the first Vorkosiverse story I ever read, so I knew exactly what was going on.)