Dikran Tahta
Encyclopedia
Dikran "Dick" Tahta was a British
-Armenian
mathematician
, teacher
and author.
Armenian family who settled in Manchester
after the First World War
. Much of his childhood, and the influence of his Armenian religious upbringing is reflected upon in his penultimate book Ararat Associations, in which he notes how his parents were keen for their children to have an English education, yet made sure that they spoke Armenian
at home. He was christened by Bishop Tourian in the Armenian Church in Manchester, and his name Dikran was shortened to Dick, but he never forgot his Armenian roots.
Some of these are reflected on in his book Ararat Associations, where he remembers "my father, who would be standing, like the other males, with open arms extended in their own way of praying. Kneeling was for women and children".
From Rossall School
, in Fleetwood
, Lancashire
, he gained a scholarship to Christ Church, Oxford
, in 1946. His main subject was Mathematics, but he also read widely in English literature, philosophy and history.
Between leaving university and just before national service, he took time out to catalogue the library of the late Bishop Indjian (died 1950), and read a number of his books on Turkish history for the first time.
Tahta did national service in the RAF from 1950 to 1952, then after a brief foray into journalism
, returned to Rossall School in 1954, where he began teaching English and History, but gradually moved into mathematics teaching.
In the 1970s he was involved in the ATV television programme of mathematics for schools entitled 'Leapfrogs' (produced and directed by Paul Martin) and promoted visual approaches to mathematics. His paper "On Geometry" argued that geometrical
approaches to mathematics could not be reduced to algebra
ic approaches. In line with this thinking, he produced the ATM book Geometric Images, and co-authored Images of Infinity with Ray Hemmings. The Leapfrogs group of Tahta and Hemmings, together with David Sturgess, Leo Rogers and Derick Last also produced hands-on teaching materials including workbooks for the polycube
. He also drew upon insights into pedagogy
in the writings of Mary Boole on mathematics education.
After retirement, he went to teach in America and South Africa, and became a tutor for the Open University
.
His last book was The Fifteen Schoolgirls about Thomas Kirkman, known for the Kirkman's schoolgirl problem
, a problem in combinatorics, which also delved into the byways of Victorian amateur mathematics.
In its obituary, The Guardian
newspaper described Dick as "one of the outstanding mathematics teachers of his generation", who was notable for having inspired physicist Stephen Hawking
. The Guardian commented on his death that "He was a wise and generous man who inspired love and an increase of intellectual energy in everyone who came within his ambit.".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and author.
Biography
Dikran Tahta is a descendant of OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Armenian family who settled in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Much of his childhood, and the influence of his Armenian religious upbringing is reflected upon in his penultimate book Ararat Associations, in which he notes how his parents were keen for their children to have an English education, yet made sure that they spoke Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
at home. He was christened by Bishop Tourian in the Armenian Church in Manchester, and his name Dikran was shortened to Dick, but he never forgot his Armenian roots.
Some of these are reflected on in his book Ararat Associations, where he remembers "my father, who would be standing, like the other males, with open arms extended in their own way of praying. Kneeling was for women and children".
From Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
, in Fleetwood
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, he gained a scholarship to Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, in 1946. His main subject was Mathematics, but he also read widely in English literature, philosophy and history.
Between leaving university and just before national service, he took time out to catalogue the library of the late Bishop Indjian (died 1950), and read a number of his books on Turkish history for the first time.
Tahta did national service in the RAF from 1950 to 1952, then after a brief foray into journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, returned to Rossall School in 1954, where he began teaching English and History, but gradually moved into mathematics teaching.
In the 1970s he was involved in the ATV television programme of mathematics for schools entitled 'Leapfrogs' (produced and directed by Paul Martin) and promoted visual approaches to mathematics. His paper "On Geometry" argued that geometrical
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
approaches to mathematics could not be reduced to algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
ic approaches. In line with this thinking, he produced the ATM book Geometric Images, and co-authored Images of Infinity with Ray Hemmings. The Leapfrogs group of Tahta and Hemmings, together with David Sturgess, Leo Rogers and Derick Last also produced hands-on teaching materials including workbooks for the polycube
Polycube
thumb|200px|right|The seven free tetracubesthumb|200px|right|A [[Chirality |chiral]] pentacubethumb|200px|right|Puzzle with a unique solution...
. He also drew upon insights into pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
in the writings of Mary Boole on mathematics education.
After retirement, he went to teach in America and South Africa, and became a tutor for the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
His last book was The Fifteen Schoolgirls about Thomas Kirkman, known for the Kirkman's schoolgirl problem
Kirkman's schoolgirl problem
Kirkman's schoolgirl problem is a problem in combinatorics proposed by Thomas Kirkman in 1850 as Query VI in The Lady's and Gentleman's Diary...
, a problem in combinatorics, which also delved into the byways of Victorian amateur mathematics.
In its obituary, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper described Dick as "one of the outstanding mathematics teachers of his generation", who was notable for having inspired physicist Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
. The Guardian commented on his death that "He was a wise and generous man who inspired love and an increase of intellectual energy in everyone who came within his ambit.".
Books
- A Boolean anthology: Selected writings of Mary Boole—on mathematical education, 1972 (Compiled by D.G. Tahta).
- Tahta, D. and Brookes, W. (1966) "The Genesis of Mathematical Activity", in W. Brookes (Ed.) The Development of Mathematical Activity in Children: the place of the problem in this development
- Images of Infinity, with Ray Hemmings
- Ararat Associations, Black Apollo PressBlack Apollo PressBlack Apollo Press is an independent publisher based in Cambridge, England. It was founded in 1995 by American writer Bob Biderman and British Baudelarian scholar, David Kelley...
, ISBN 1900355507 - The Fifteen Schoolgirls, Black Apollo PressBlack Apollo PressBlack Apollo Press is an independent publisher based in Cambridge, England. It was founded in 1995 by American writer Bob Biderman and British Baudelarian scholar, David Kelley...
, ISBN 1900355485
Magazine Articles
- Tahta, D. (1981a) ‘About geometry’, for the Learning of Mathematics, 1(1), 2-9.
- Tahta, D. (1981b) ‘Some thoughts arising from the new Nicolet films’, Mathematics Teaching, 94, 25-9.
- Tahta, D. (1985) ‘On notation’, Mathematics Teaching, 112, 49-51.
- Tahta, D. (1988) ‘Lucas turns in his grave’, in Pimm, D. (ed.) Mathematics, Teachers and Children, London, Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 306–12.
- Tahta, D. (1990a) ‘Is there a geometrical imperative?’, Mathematics Teaching, 129, 20-9.
- Tahta, D. (1990b) ‘Gratifying usefulness’, Mathematics Teaching, 132, 57-8.
- Tahta, D. (1991) ‘Understanding and desire’, in Pimm, D. and Love, E. (eds) Teaching and Learning School Mathematics, London, Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 221–46.
- Tahta, D. (1992) ‘Curricular configurations’, Micromath, 8(2), 37-9.