THE INFORMER PAGE 5 DECEMBER 17, 1991

MATH LEARNING CENTRE
A Place to Meet Math Problems Head On

Capilano College’s The room is decorated with
Math Learning Centre math posters, “something to

lets students practise
math with a net. Run as
a help centre since 1972,
the MLC is a success
story that wins the
approval of students and
the admiration of other

lighten it up, make it fun,”
Wendy says, adding that she
plans to bring in some puzzles
in the new year to give stu-
dents a sense of play with
math.

Wendy got her degree in

institutions. math from Carleton University,
Located in the J then went on to Waterloo to do
building near most Math an M.A. in Management Sci-

classes, it was begun ences, an area of engineering

when faculty offices Wendy.assists a student in the Centre's instructional office that looks at applied math in
rimmed the room, and Lunt businesses. She says companies
instructors would volun- were closing down the relevant
teer their time to assist students with problems. departments when she came looking for a job in Van-

Now, with full time MLC supervisor Wendy Lynn in couver, so she accepted the job at Cap as a temporary
charge, the centre is open 40 hours per week, and offers position. Now, this is a full-time avocation.

a range of services. Students can use the quiet study She enjoys the challenge of helping students on a
area to concentrate on problems by themselves, or one-to-one basis. Though she has taught classes at

gather with classmates in the open area to hash them times, she says it’s more fun when she can work with
out together; they can watch and re-watch a video based _individuals. “You can tell when they understand. You

on the section they don’t can see it on their faces.”
understand; or they can ws The idea for a math learn-
get one-on-one instruction ing centre started early in the
with an expert in the College’s life, beginning when
field. There is alsoa the campus was still in West
computer room and the Vancouver. It didn’t enjoy a
self-paced learning physical presence until the
centre. College moved to Lynnmour,
The centre accommo- when Bob Rennie and others in
dates up to 70 people, and the department pushed for
is especially popular capital funding and space. They
through exam times, modelled the centre after the

though there is a steady j staff labs at SFU. Now, Wendy
stream of students begin- The Centre's open study area gives students a place to meet says other colleges come to Cap
ning every morning at 9 and help each other solve problems. to look at the Math centre and
a.m. see how it is run.

Wendy handles the questions generated by 29
sections of math, with 30 - 35 students in each. She
makes light of her load, saying she is very familiar with
the questions first year students will have, and she is
even able to adopt some of the instructors’ vocabulary
and use their jokes while teaching.

It’s rare that a problem will stump her, though once
or twice a year, she does have to look something up. The
Centre has regulars, she says, “people who just like to
work in the area. It’s good for them to work with their
classmates, though every once in a while we have to tell
them to be quiet.”