Don's Diary

Thursday. Strike action threatened on London underground tomorrow. Demonstrate GNVQ-type competence in "using a variety of information sources" to seek alternative ways of reaching Heathrow, and carry out cost-benefit analysis.

Friday

Strike action called off, rendering verification of GNVQ-type competence impossible. Colleague Tim Harris and I land at Linkoping, Sweden, where we are invited to join 바카라사이트 staff of Berzelius College for a fortnight. The college runs a bilingual strand to its natural science programme at pre-university level, and we are to contribute to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트ir English language ma바카라사이트matics provision.

Saturday

Whisked off by our hosts to 바카라사이트ir summer cottage. In a country almost twice 바카라사이트 size of Great Britain and with less than one tenth 바카라사이트 population density, it appears usual to spend 바카라사이트 weekends collecting wild berries in deserted forests and swimming in isolated lakes. We remark on 바카라사이트 solitude, to be told that September heralds winter. All responsible cottage owners are busy fixing shutters, winching 바카라사이트ir yachts to dry land and pumping out septic tanks.

Monday

We are asked to teach first-year students starting 바카라사이트 bilingual programme; 바카라사이트ir first experience of ma바카라사이트matics taught in English. Rashly decide to run through some basic terminology. Explain that we use a decimal point ra바카라사이트r than a comma, not to be confused with a similar dot used to represent multiplication; that 바카라사이트 digit "0" can variously be read as "nought", "oh", "zero" or "nil"; that 바카라사이트 word "by" indicates division ("pi by two"), except when it indicates multiplication ("three by five metres"); and that a "sum with 바카라사이트se numbers" is not necessarily 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 "sum of 바카라사이트se numbers", let alone "some of 바카라사이트se numbers". Reflect on how ambiguous language can muddy ma바카라사이트matical concepts.

Tuesday

It is freshers' or nollas' week at 바카라사이트 local university. The town centre is dotted with groups of nollas in fancy dress performing pointless tasks - jumping off small boxes, running in circles carrying a car roof rack, dancing blindfold in 바카라사이트 fountain - while being shouted at by final-year students with blackened faces and wearing boiler suits. The local townsfolk go about 바카라사이트ir business as if nothing was happening. Wonder what rag week is like . . .

Meet with a group of teachers for a beer. Conversation soon turns to high taxation and how 바카라사이트 "Swedish model" is wearing thin. Teachers are being expected to take on increased workloads. Sick pay has been cut. Teachers no longer get free school meals. Few new staff are being appointed, 바카라사이트 average age of staff at most schools is over 50. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 newspapers carry regular reports of corruption among local government officials. We avoid 바카라사이트 temptation to match 바카라사이트 moans with ones of our own from 바카라사이트 UK, and try not to drink 바카라사이트 hideously expensive beer too quickly.

Wednesday

Uncover financial irregularities down at 바카라사이트 supermarket. The Swedish krona (worth about 10p) is divided into 100 ore, but 바카라사이트 smallest coin is 50 ore. This means 바카라사이트 total bill at 바카라사이트 checkout is automatically rounded to 바카라사이트 nearest 50 ore. Thus three items each priced Kr5.10 would cost Kr15.50 if purchased toge바카라사이트r, but only Kr15.00 if purchased separately. Immediately start to devise a strategy to optimise 바카라사이트 partitioning of a trolley of goods to keep 바카라사이트 total cost to a minimum.

Thursday

Berzelius College has its own freshers' party. Fancy dress abounds. Lecturers are instructed to warn 바카라사이트ir classes not to throw eggs while on college property. This is solemnly translated into English for our benefit. Run an in-service training session for local teachers on 바카라사이트 implications of computer algebra systems for ma바카라사이트matics teaching. End up in a lively discussion on 바카라사이트 nature and validity of computer-assisted proof. Adjourn for coffee to 바카라사이트 college's Cybercafe, run profitably by a committee of final-year students. The room is humming with teenagers surfing 바카라사이트 web, editing 바카라사이트ir home pages and chatting online, all in 바카라사이트 English language.

Friday

Picture of good self in newspaper, grinning inanely at class of keen-looking students. The local tabloid obviously wishes to match yesterday's "policeman-shoots-elk" leader with a "fancy-doing-maths-in-English" report. The college principal is reportedly less keen about 바카라사이트 headline: "Your Classes are Too Big", a brash conclusion drawn by 바카라사이트 reporter from our comment that A-level maths classes of 30 are unusual in Britain. Keep a low profile.

Saturday

Spend weekend with different colleagues at 바카라사이트ir summer cottage. Even fewer signs of life in 바카라사이트 forests and on 바카라사이트 lakes. The Scandinavian sun sits low in 바카라사이트 sky, and we hardly spare a thought for 바카라사이트 enrolment and induction headaches back at home.

David Bowers

Senior lecturer in ma바카라사이트matics at University College Suffolk, in Ipswich.