Comments by "Jeffrey Phipps" (@jeffreyphipps1507) on "Programmers Need More Math" video.
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As a university teacher, I wholeheartedly disagree. Frustration is a terrible tool. Repetition is a good tool. The more your do something with a good outcome, the more fluidly you'll remember it. Frustration breeds psychological blockage. It can even lead to an irrational amount of anxiety. Why should anyone learn that way when there is an easier way. The problem is that traditional math leads people to believe that they are learning something that is useless to them. Theory is often pushed to extreme without real world examples. A person does need to see theory, but people also need to see relatable real world examples (preferably two or three for each concept) so that they can see how it relates to things they already understand. We build our knowledge on foundations of pre-existing knowledge. You can't build your knowledge practically out of thin air. Will you make mistakes? Yes, but it will be for the right reasons - you executed the solution wrong. You'll figure out what you did wrong and try not to do it again. However, that won't be frustration - that's disappointment. It's not the same. If examples trouble you that much, you need to ask questions. Your instructor is PAID to answer your questions. If you need a tutor (though I haven't seen many good tutors) you are paying them for better answers, better examples. These people are paid to answer questions. They may think of you as a pest for asking a lot of questions, but you have the right AND the responsibility to ask questions. Your instructor cannot read your mind. If you are working and you have a question, ask your colleagues to avoid missing the deadline. Missing deadlines costs money. Write down every question you ask in a notebook including the answer that made perfect sense, that "a-ha" moment you finally got it. If you are learning something and you don't understand, try to figure it out. If you haven't figured it out in one hour, stop and ask questions. Here's why, after an hour your chances of finally finding a solution drop 75%. It's like the conundrum of trying to remember how to spell a word - you can think of two ways, but both can't be right (most times), and in fact neither might be right. Your brain can and often does get stuck trying to fill-in unwanted details. You need, as they say, a "new pair of eyes". What you really need is a refreshed brain. Sometimes you can do this yourself. Stuck? walk away for a few DAYS. Then come back. Sometimes the time will reset your view. Just never keep pounding at it for hours on end. That's just wrong and does nothing for your ability to learn. In my 35 years of teaching, I've never seen one instance where frustration helps. I have seen many instances where students refuse to ask for help. I have seen many instances where math is poorly taught.
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