Help with TSR teaching idea [not sure if it already exists]

...

_{If it exists already and I just can't find it; I apologise}

So I understand that a lot of people are taught how to differentiate and integrate, but they don't truly understand what the process entails [I'm not gonna lie, I don't fully understand it -- but it makes more sense to me than to most people at AS\2]. At least with Edexcel, we're taught the rule for differentiating and integrating $ax^n$ with respect to x, but we're not taught why or how it is why it is; mostly because we're not taught to understand it from first principles. This is the case for a lot of maths and physics atm and I want to help people see what it really is.

So to explain it from scratch, I thought of compiling a load of explanations that aren't often covered in the syllabus that would really help people when it comes to intuitive understanding. Like a little wikipedia that explains some stuff at an A level student's level, and if you don't understand it or have an idea for an improvement, post a comment in the thread and changes can be made to it at any time to better the explanation and improve it; all on TSR.

I've looked at the study resources, but none enable you to type LaTex formulae in (from what I've seen)

Problem is:
1) IDK if this is already a thing on TSR
2) Would TSR be a good place to start it (if it isn't a thing on TSR already)
3) Would people appreciate if I posted stuff like this?

If it is a thing, I'll try to delete the thread or something and I'm sorry for wasting your time , but please tell me how I can find it!

_{If it exists already and I just can't find it; I apologise}

So I understand that a lot of people are taught how to differentiate and integrate, but they don't truly understand what the process entails [I'm not gonna lie, I don't fully understand it -- but it makes more sense to me than to most people at AS\2]. At least with Edexcel, we're taught the rule for differentiating and integrating $ax^n$ with respect to x, but we're not taught why or how it is why it is; mostly because we're not taught to understand it from first principles. This is the case for a lot of maths and physics atm and I want to help people see what it really is.

So to explain it from scratch, I thought of compiling a load of explanations that aren't often covered in the syllabus that would really help people when it comes to intuitive understanding. Like a little wikipedia that explains some stuff at an A level student's level, and if you don't understand it or have an idea for an improvement, post a comment in the thread and changes can be made to it at any time to better the explanation and improve it; all on TSR.

I've looked at the study resources, but none enable you to type LaTex formulae in (from what I've seen)

Problem is:
1) IDK if this is already a thing on TSR
2) Would TSR be a good place to start it (if it isn't a thing on TSR already)
3) Would people appreciate if I posted stuff like this?

If it is a thing, I'll try to delete the thread or something and I'm sorry for wasting your time , but please tell me how I can find it!

I didn't even know about the TSR wiki articles

You're assuming that most teachers don't explain differentiation from first principles; this is just not true.

We teach what it is important and the syllabus is part of that

I'm sure there are other more useful things to do.

It's a thing already : the TSR wiki. That page needs updating : a lot those topics should have links.

E.g. Differentiation from 1st principles.

But feel free to edit this page and others. I'm not sure if they get much editing anymore.

I should remember to link to articles from the wiki when someone has a problem that needs a long explanation.

Edit : The wiki really should be publicised better (maybe as a sticky?) so that more people can use it as well as edit it.

I could be completely wrong but my guess would be that most (i.e. 50% +) A-Level teachers don't teach differentiation from first principles.

Of course a good teacher always will teach it but experience at "bad" schools has shown me that plenty don't.

Tbh I'd suggest googling things like "differentiation from first principles" first and seeing what comes up.

Your idea is laudable, but I suspect you'd just be re-typing something that already exists (e.g. via a Wikipedia article or other academic site) so unless you just want the Latex practice you'd be making a lot of work for yourself.

People do ask questions about this sort of thing periodically on TSR so there will be some threads already on here that cover what your're suggesting, but admittedly not in an easily-searchable state!

I don't think it would cause any offence to anyone on here if you did what you're suggesting, but sometimes it's more efficient to track down an existing helpful article that does what you want and posting a link to it

EDIT: Thanks to notnek for posting too - I didn't even know about the TSR wiki articles

In every school I know of it is taught ...

In every school I know of it is taught ...

It's a thing already : the TSR wiki. That page needs updating : a lot those topics should have links.

E.g. Differentiation from 1st principles.

But feel free to edit this page and others. I'm not sure if they get much editing anymore.

So I understand that a lot of people are taught how to differentiate and integrate...

I love this idea! I've always liked teaching. If you do go through with it, let me know, I'd love to help!

Also if you love teaching so much, I recommend asking the teacher so you could run a support session for maths (if you have the time) in school. That's what I will be doing, and I'll use this session to also talk about those things that aren't usually taught, like the derivations for differentiation and definite integration.

There was a chance to volunteer and help out in my college's maths student support area, but apparently 2 people already jumped at the opportunity :T

There's no point doing i now, since there's already a wiki. The best thing I can do I to probably edit the wiki, make it a bit better, make some new, helpful pages and beg that more people start using it lol

There was a chance to volunteer and help out in my college's maths student support area, but apparently 2 people already jumped at the opportunity :T

There's no point doing i now, since there's already a wiki. The best thing I can do I to probably edit the wiki, make it a bit better, make some new, helpful pages and beg that more people start using it lol

To give you an example, at one school that I worked 1st principles was part of the scheme of work but the head of maths didn't teach it because he thought his students would find it too hard. I've seen a similar attitude from other teachers.

Back when I was at school even the further maths class weren't taught it.

It's entirely possible that the overall picture is different to my experiences.