EUREKA moment

Chalk moves slowly across a chalkboard, while young minds race across time, to the days of Pythagoras and back to 2024 in seconds through ChatGPT.

Occasionally, I teach math to my niece. I tend to forget what I learned in middle school, but as I look at formulas and terms, memories slowly return. I’m still learning English, so there’s less need to recall. However, teaching math brings a special joy, a wave of dopamine unlike any other.

When solving calculation problems, such as systems of equations, quadratic equations, and calculations with roots, looking through the textbook revives memories. While tackling problems, I realize I challenge myself to utilize mental arithmetic and minimize the use of a notebook. It’s fun to feel my brain working.

“Ah, so this is how I used my brain back then,” I reminisce about my middle school days. I encourage my niece to memorize formulas so she can instantly solve problems in her head, without writing them down. After all, using time to write during a test is a waste. After solving several problems, she too seemed to find joy in solving them mentally.

As we solved one problem after another, previously thought impossible, our excitement grew. The day’s final challenge was a problem involving a triangle ABC with one angle of 60 degrees. When BC is 8 cm and AB is 2 cm, we were to find the length of AC, requiring a specific theorem.

It seemed it would take time to recall, so I turned to ChatGPT for help. Initially, it suggested the high school-level cosine rule, but upon trying again, it offered “Pythagoras’ theorem” and the “1:2:√3" formula. I was surprised I remembered the formula but had completely forgotten Pythagoras’ theorem.

“Aha, I’ve got it!” my niece exclaimed with shining eyes. She hadn’t solved the problem yet, but math is precisely about experiencing that “aha moment” first, deepening understanding and feeling the satisfaction of solving a problem afterward. We learned it’s not just about finding answers but about the courage to face problems and the joy of walking the path to resolution together.

This experience reaffirmed why I prefer math over subjects like language arts or history. Probably, I enjoyed the sensation of searching for solutions in my brain. The “Eureka moments” in math were irresistible, unlike in other subjects.

Times have changed, and so have methods of learning. Yet, by valuing this analog sensation, we can build a new world. Even as traditional chalkboard teaching seems outdated, the joy of teaching and learning one-on-one has immeasurable value.

Witnessing the unchanged style of chalkboard teaching during a class visit, I pondered. Perhaps it’s our role as adults to provide appealing learning experiences for children, questioning the old ways.

Especially, childless uncles and aunts engaging more actively in parenting could create new forms of learning. I want to build such a world together. I firmly believe these “Eureka moments” are the essence of true learning and the beautiful truth of life.