Faculty Features | 青年教师Aviram：引领学生感知数学之美
Aviram
Moreno
广东以色列理工学院
数学与计算机科学专业 助教
教学协调员及教务导师助理
教师专访系列
三尺讲台春风化雨，门下自是桃李成辉。广东以色列理工学院拥有世界一流的教师团队，老师们全情投入，潜心钻研，成为学生们科研思维的开启者、科研道路的引路人，也因此收获学生们敬重和爱戴。
教师系列专访将分享广以的师长大家们在治学修身、教书育人上的真知灼见和感悟箴言。让更多人走进广以课堂，走近广以教师，了解广以的办学特色与育人理念。
在繁忙的课间回复完堆积如山的邮件，将刚刚完成的解题手稿交给同事之后，Aviram Moreno终于可以暂时停下手头的工作接受采访。
Aviram自2018年加入广东以色列理工学院，担任数学与计算机科学专业的讲师。这位以色列青年教师还有一个外号“狼叔”。授课时，Aviram时常将几只笔夹在指间，以节省轮换使用不同颜色的白板笔进行标注的时间。在同学们看来，这个标志性的动作很像漫威角色“金刚狼”，也因此亲切地称呼Aviram为“狼叔”。
和粗犷的外号相比，“狼叔”却是一个耐心温和的老师，由于讲课细致、解答耐心而广受学生喜爱，连续两年荣获广以年度教学卓越奖。
#1
创造“无压力课堂”
与学生一起欢乐学习
回想起职业生涯中的第一堂课，Aviram记忆犹新。“当我走进教室，一双双充满热情和希望的眼睛望向了我，那一刻，我心潮澎湃，感受到了教师身上的重担。我不会让他们失望。”
在教学中，Aviram也逐渐形成了自己的教育理念——设身处地为学生着想。“数学课上的氛围会影响学生的学习情绪，进而影响学习效果。作为一名教师，我的工作是尽可能以清晰、客观和令人愉快的方式传递知识，同时创造一个鼓励学习的‘无压力课堂’。遇到难题时，同学们会沮丧或焦虑，也可能因为负面情绪无法集中注意力，甚至可能因此错过课堂的重点，导致知识点、知识面的空缺。作为教师，我们应该意识到情绪对学习成果的影响，努力让学生在我们的课上获得成就感。”
如何创造一个充满积极氛围的数学课堂？Aviram给出了答案：“第一，传达轻松的肢体语言：微笑地与学生打招呼，课堂上不要太严肃，要让学生感受到你热爱你的工作、享受教学这个过程。学生也会感受到教师的责任心，知道在面对困难时，老师可以信任，从而不再害怕困难。”
教学中的Aviram
另一方面，Aviram认为应该在课堂上时刻关注学生的感受。当遇到难题时，他并不急于直接给出答案。“老师刷刷几下就解决问题，把答案写在黑板上，这样可能反而会使学生泄气，他们可能会陷入一种思维循环，比如‘我怎么才能像老师一样，这么快、这么优雅地解决它？这对我来说似乎不可能！’”
课堂上，Aviram并不会直接给出问题的答案，而是假装挠挠头思考，向同学们求助问题的解法。“我要让他们觉得，当‘无所不能’的老师第一次遇到这种题目时，也会感到困难。这样一来，学生们就会放松下来，动手考虑解决方案，而不仅仅是理解老师所给出的答题思路。”而在带领学生完成一道难题后，Aviram总是会假装擦掉额头上不存在的汗珠，引起同学们的会心一笑。
Aviram解释说，这种“表演”是为了向同学们传递这样的信息：学生觉得难的问题，老师也会觉得难，也会有灰心的时候。但是，通过朝着目标不懈努力，总会找到克服任何障碍的方法。求学过程中遇到困难，向周围的师长同辈求助，这都是正常的，也是一个无知的学生成长为独立思考的学者的重要过程。
Aviram用一句话总结了他的学习经验：如果你从不困惑，那你可能学无所成。“有时候，解决困惑需要不断提问，做一些以前没有尝试过的事情，才能不断超越自己。”
而正是拥有时刻关注学生，不断反思教学的敏锐和细心，Aviram成为同学们最喜爱的老师之一，更荣获广以2020、2021年教学卓越奖。
#2
数学之美
薪火相传
聊起因何与数学结缘，Aviram回忆起少年时的一段奇遇经历。14岁的某一天，他如往常一样在家附近闲逛玩耍，无意间望见杂物堆中翻出一本色彩鲜艳的书，封面写着《费马最后的定理（Fermat's Last Theorem）》。当时的Aviram正在就读初中，只是隐隐知道“费马”是一位数学家，并没有太深刻的认识。他随手带回家翻看起来，却逐渐被书中内容所吸引。从这本书中，Aviram第一次了解到瑰丽壮阔的数学历史，深深感受到了数学之美。他也暗暗下定决心，努力学好数学课程，在未来努力从事数学研究。
求学之路并非坦途。以色列的高等教育学费高昂，高中毕业之后，Aviram在三年的工作中努力攒够学费，终于能在梦寐以求的大学殿堂继续自己的数学之梦。但他很快发现大学的学习和高中的学习有天壤之别。“和中国的高考一样，以色列的数学高考同样是注重解答和计算，所以我也曾经和众多广以新生一样，不适应大学数学的学习，需要努力克服从‘解题式学数学’到‘强调逻辑和思考地学数学’。” Aviram回忆，在刚刚进入数学系学习时，他经常在课后继续钻研，用比课堂多一倍的时间解答题目、温习课本。凭着一股“死磕”的精神，他渐渐训练出自己的数学思维模式。在数学这条道路上，Aviram更相信“天道酬勤”，也希望同学们能够在数学学习中不服输、不放弃。
在广以，Aviram指导学校各专业学生在第一学期的数学课程。“我的工作是一个伟大而重要的使命。”他表示，这些课程是广以学生在学术界迈出的第一步，也是非常重要的一步。Aviram同时担任广以2022级数学系的学术导师，为同学们提供专业知识的答疑和学习方法的建议。同学们向他咨询最多的一个问题是：“怎么学好数学？”作为一个“过来人”，他认为，大学数学的学习最好不要有拖延症，有问题就立刻解决、有新知识就要当天掌握。反复训练自己的思维，用量变引起质变。克服了最初不适应的阶段之后，对于数学的理解就会自然而然进入一个新的水平。
在勉励同学们努力学习的同时，Aviram也向同学们寄语：
希望大家能够在繁忙的课业中寻找真正的爱好，在广以校园劳逸结合地度过珍贵的学习时光！
Aviram
Moreno
Mathematics with Computer Science
Faculty Features
Teachers are like the lighthouse, enlightening all the succeeding generations. They devoted themselves to teaching and research, winning many students' respect and love.
The series of interviews with teachers will share their insights on education so that more people can get close to GTIIT's classes and teachers and know about its characteristics and educational philosophy.
After replying mountains of emails and handing over the just-completed script of problem solution to another teacher between busy classes, Aviram Moreno is finally able to take a rest and accept the interview by News Department.
Aviram joined Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) in 2018 as a tutor of Mathematics with Computer Science Program. The young Israeli teacher is called "Uncle Wolf" by the students, for he always holds different colors of pens between his fingers to save the time to switch while writing, which resembled the posture of the Marvel character Wolverine.
Unlike the rough nickname, "Uncle Wolf" is widely liked by students, for his patient and detailed teaching, making him win the award of GTIIT Excellence in Teaching for two years.
#1
Create a Stress-Free Classroom
Looking back to his very first teaching experience, Aviram feels that it seems like only yesterday. "When I first walked into the classroom, all of the students, with enthusiasm and hope in their big eyes, stared at me. It was at that moment that I realized the actual weight of my job, from then and on I knew I would never let them down."
Aviram has his own teaching philosophy: "Attending a math tutorial is a cognitive effort induced within an emotional environment. Feelings such as anxiety, frustration and mild sadness are not foreign to a student who encounters a difficult exercise. As a teacher, I believe that a large part of my job is to convey the teaching material in a clear, objective and enjoyable way as possible and at the same time to preserve an emotional environment that supports and enables learning, that is, creating a stress-free classroom. A frustrated or anxious student stops in those moments, and in the moments to come, the learning process and shifts reluctantly to concentrate on these negative feelings or on their correction. While doing so, the student misses a significant part of the lesson and develops a gap. The rest of that student's day will no longer be the same as it started.
We, as teachers, should be fully aware of this intrinsic emotional process and make sure that every student leaves our classroom with a sense of competence. This sense is not solely a result of a qualitative teaching abilities, but in my opinion, it is a result of a positive emotional environment that enveloped the lesson throughout."
How to create a positive supportive environment during a math tutorial? Aviram has an answer: The idea of doing so consists of two main points. One, convey to them a relaxed and light body language. Enter the class with a smile and greet them, don't look too serious when you enter the class or during the lesson and don't look upset (even if you are having a bad day). During the lesson itself, convey to the students that you enjoy what you do, that you have joy towards the subject you are teaching and you even enjoy the very fact that you are teaching it. Thus, the students first of all feel that they are in good hands and secondly, they feel that they have someone to trust. So, in effect, we as teachers reduce their concerns covertly, even with amiable nonchalance.
Aviram in the Class
"The second and more accessible point for the teacher in my opinion (the first way is not easy and depends on the character and nature of the teacher) is to reflect the student's feelings (not thoughts) during the lesson. You don't have to talk about it, we are not psychologists, but you need to confirm their feelings. If we encounter a difficult exercise, then I don't rush to the solution. I believe that seeing the teacher solving something difficult quickly might discourage students. The students might get caught into a cycle of thoughts such as 'How am I supposed to solve it so fast or elegantly? It seems impossible for me.'
Instead of that, I wait, I scratch my forehead and ask them for some ideas, I let them feel that I was having difficulties too when I first met the exercise, me, the teacher, who allegedly knows and masters everything. This approach relaxes them and even enables them to think on their own solutions and not only struggling understanding mine. After finishing solving a difficult exercise, I will always wipe off imaginary sweat drops from my forehead, it always rises smiles among the students and again, makes them feel that it was tough but feasible. Not only that, but they even had an active part in solving it."
"This kind of 'acting'," Aviram explains, "shows to the students that the teachers, same as students, feel difficulties and sometimes even frustration. But, by asking questions, being determined and committed to succeed, you will always find a way to overcome any obstacle.
This approach conveys the following message to the students: It is OK to get stuck, it's OK to seek help, it's OK to ask, don't stay anxious and frustrated, there is always something to do and the help is always around the corner."
Meeting with problems and seeking help from teachers and friends are common in learning new knowledge, and also important in the development of a student.
Aviram summarizes his studying experience with one sentence "If you are not confused, then you are not studying anything new". "Sometimes, solving confusion requires asking questions, do things that you didn't try before, grow out of your own skin."
Aviram has become one of the students' favorite teachers for his keenness to teach, and because of his enthusiasm and carefulness to students, making him won the Annual Excellence Award in Teaching of GTIIT for 2020 and 2021.
#2
Pass Love for Math
to the Next Generation
On how he got into mathematics, Aviram recalled an adventure from his childhood. One day in his fourteen, he was wandering around as usual, and came across a colorful book lying in the trash with the name "Fermat's Last Theorem" written on the cover. At that time, Aviram didn't know too much about Fermat and Math, but just took the book home and began to read it.
This young man was then fully fascinated by the interesting science book, and kept on reading, reading and reading it. "It made me fall in love with mathematics, I was amazed by what I have read. After finishing reading the book, I have decided that math is what I want to study." Aviram recalled the determination he had made at that time.
The road to study is not always smooth. Higher education is expensive in Israel, and after high school, Aviram worked for three years (after three years of army service) to save money for further studies in a university. When he finally managed to study mathematics in a university class, he found it difficult than expected. "Similar as the math tests in Chinese college entrance examination, the one in Israel also focuses on solution and calculation. Therefore, like many GTIIT freshmen, I have struggled to adapt myself to college mathematics at the beginning," Aviram said.
The math textbooks in high school emphasize more on problem solving while the university courses require logical thinking and mainly concentrating on the theory. "I often spend twice as much time reviewing my lecture notes, I even wrote sidenotes to my lecture notes and even sometimes footnotes to my sidenotes, just to make sure that I fully understood the theory from the lectures." Aviram said. On the path of studying mathematics, he believes in "The theory is the cornerstone of mathematics, don't rush into exercises before mastering the theory".
At GTIIT, Aviram tutors all mathematical courses of three first semesters of all departments in GTIIT. "My job is a great and important mission since those courses are the first significant step of GTIIT's students in the academic world." Aviram added.
"How to learn Math?" Students always come to Aviram as he is also the Academic Counselor for GTIIT 2022 Cohort. "Don't leave any questions for later. Otherwise you will gradually develop a gap you won't be able to close and you will find yourself in a stressful situation during your exams' period." Aviram suggested to the students.
Finally, Aviram would like to encourage the students: Keep your identity and do something fun at least once a week! Cherish your time in GTIIT!
GTIIT
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文/图：GTIIT传媒与公共事务部、Aviram Moreno
Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Aviram Moreno
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