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| Home » Academics » Faculty Profiles » Paulette Saab | |
Professor of mathematics
Department of Mathematics
Classes you teach:
Introductory Calculus one, two and three, and Advanced Calculus
Favorite class you teach (and why):
I like the advanced class. It’s geared more toward juniors and seniors.
Areas of interest:
I’m a functional analyst. I work with infinite dimensional spaces.
Why you love to teach:
As a kid, I didn’t really want to teach at first, but during my post-doctoral work I learned to appreciate it. I like to feel like I’m making a difference and that I’m making something that could be seen as complicated more understandable. I’m really happy I ended up going into teaching. I was away recently for two years and didn’t teach, and I really missed it.
How to get the most out of academics:
I tell all my students it’s very important that they balance their schoolwork with other parts of their lives. That means studying every day and not letting work accumulate so they end up getting behind and overwhelmed.
Students should also talk to their professors quickly if they feel there’s something they don’t understand. I think this should be emphasized to new students. I learn from my students who come and talk to me. For example, I might alter my lecture to make sure I’m addressing concerns or problems they might be having.
What Mizzou students are like:
Polite, eager; they want to learn. Over the years, I’ve had some extremely bright students.
Advice for new students:
For new students in mathematics, I think they should make sure that they have a good foundation from high school before they come to the university. We have an online math site where students, especially juniors and sophomores in high school, can check their math knowledge. Don’t postpone taking math courses. It can help you get ahead.
Most common question new students ask:
Sometimes students who did well in high school wonder why they’re not getting the same grades in college. Students sometimes come to college unprepared and expect the same grades, but they may not want to put in the necessary effort.
Students need to study, talk to the professor and, if they feel they need it, get tutoring. Our department offers tutoring in the GCB labs, and the Learning Center offers help. There’s a lot of assistance available to students if they need it, but they don’t always take advantage. | |
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