Comments on: Guest Post: Eugene Lim on Calculus in Haiti

By: Eugene

Eugene — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:05:24 +0000

Sara : That’s Deb. I was teaching him 2nd order ordinary differential equations. He is a first year and one of my best students. I do plan to return; Haiti has a way of getting under your skin (among other things that get under your skin, as Rohan said to me).

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:51:04 +0000

The picture with the boy whom I presume is the one who was rather adept at math seems to have on it some differential equations. So was that extra course you were teaching him?

I was especially inspired to see the students having tried studying on their own. It’s humbling, especially since, well-motivated students they are, could probably learn a great deal more on their own with better books. I do hope you return again, continue to enrich their lives, and provide an inspiration to us all.

By: Yvette

Yvette — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:43:17 +0000

What an awesome post, thanks for sharing! So awesome to hear about people doing things like this, as when I hint I’m considering teaching in the developing world they tend to look at me like I’m crazy.

By: Hiranya

Hiranya — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:39:36 +0000

Eugene, you are an inspiration!

By: Serge

Serge — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:24:10 +0000

@Ellipsis
“Since China is moving toward a more developed economy, is there any chance that companies like Foxconn could move a plant to Haiti”
Not likely. The major reason for moving manufacturing into China and SEA countries is their political stability. The situation in Haiti doesn’t looks like stable enough. Local risks far outweigh labor cost. However if they could get enough englsih-fluent educated people they have chance to get some share of software/IT outsourcing. That business doesn’t require capital investment.

By: olderwithmoreinsurance

olderwithmoreinsurance — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 05:43:22 +0000

@Peeter Joot I don’t really wish to say. The fact that Dr. Lim is there and the students like interacting with is really the important thing (though I will say that statistics is not at all a bad idea). In general, I’ve found that people teach what they know as well as what they know they can teach well (well, the latter really only applies to good teachers! and I’ve no reason to believe that Dr. Lim isn’t terrific)..

By: daniel

daniel — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:15:18 +0000

Eugene, more power to you!

By: Michele Limon

Michele Limon — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:35:12 +0000

Eugene, absolutely great! Looking forward having you back on campus and catching up.

By: Richard E.

Richard E. — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:30:40 +0000

Congrats Eugene — it is a spectacular thing you have.

By: JimV

JimV — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:48:13 +0000

Thank you very much, Dr. Lim, for the great work you did and this excellent write-up.

Teaching is a wonderful experience when people want to learn. Seeing these students put up with bad conditions and a language barrier might open some eyes among American students.