MIT Visit

My sister just graduated from MIT (Math and Physics double major). We headed up for the ceremony, and I got some interesting pictures of MIT's distinctive architecture.

Here's a new dorm. I'll show a few views, to highlight the colors. They designate the areas of high stress on the building infrastructure.

The colors are hidden in a straight-on view.

And they are different from another angle.

Here is the new research building, still under construction on the inside. It looks like a Dr. Seuss pop-up book.

A view from Cambridge into Boston, with sunset behind me.

Which, given the wet weather, provided an evening rainbow.

Good job, HM.:beer:

Those are some great shots, but I think that first building is butt fugly. It looks like it's been bombed out.

Is this the future of American architecture? Like putting a car cover painted like a beater on your Mercedes so nobody wants to mess with it?

Originally posted by Nothing But Net

Is this the future of American architecture?

What it *is* is Frank Gehry's latest abomination in a career full of them: the Stata Research Building. The problem with architecture like this is that even if Gehry can do it brilliantly (a dubious claim as it is), it spawns so many imitators who do it badly. I don't think its the future of American Architecture as much as its past - one can only hope.

The research building reminds me of Hundertwasser, an austrian architect and painter...
And btw you must have a really intelligent sister... Congratulations and good luck for her career.

Originally posted by Happy Monkey
My sister just graduated from MIT (Math and Physics double major).

Wow, congratulations to your sister! In my dreams, I have a degree from MIT. :) Is she going on to grad school? Or is she one of these truly revolting people (like a friend I had in highschool) who will take 3 years off to play violin with Juliard? :eek:
Either way, best wishes to her!

- Pie

She'll be teaching math at a Catholic school until she sorts out the grad school thing.

That is just so frighteningly wrong, I don't know what to say.

All you need to be able to teach at a catholic school is a letter saying you're a good Catholic.

(Things may have changed and they may require actual teaching credentials nowadays ... my last actual information is from the late 1980s.)

Originally posted by wolf
All you need to be able to teach at a catholic school is a letter saying you're a good Catholic.

Um, not even that. Trust me.

And the lack of teaching credentials is, AFAIAC, a plus. My brother (who also taught at said Catholic school for a year) is getting his teaching credentials, as he is teaching in NYC public schools. Teaching degrees are pretty much a scam. In theory, it seems like a nice idea that all teachers be trained, but in practice, you get semester classes on the use of graphing calculators.

Uhhh. Over here you have to have a 4-year-university-diploma and then 3 more years as assistant before teaching in secondary and teaching in primary requires 3 years-study in a teacher-school...

And that is why (among other things) that American Education is going to Hell in a Handbasket.

In the US, it's eclectic, based on state and local laws. Bush's Leave No Child Behind law may add some Federal guidelines, but I'm not sure. Private (non-state-run) schools may use any guidelines whatsoever. Public (state-run) schools usually require a four-year degree and a teaching certificate, which is like grad-school-lite. There's some movement to require a Masters degree in the field being taught, as well, but that's not widespread.

The NEA will fight that tooth and nail.

They already refuse to allow their members to be subject to competency testing.

Originally posted by wolf
The NEA will fight that tooth and nail.

They already refuse to allow their members to be subject to competency testing.

And that was the compromise position. Originally they wanted to refuse to allow their members to be competent at all.