At 18:30 16 January 2005, Nyal Williams wrote:
Good post, but I must point out a trap. I learned
from a student that it is easy to misunderstand which
end of the string is doing the pointing.

I always taught students to 'step on the head of the
snake.' One student could never get it right (never
been around snakes) and he was stepping on the tail
-- the aft, unattached end. I found that other students
had figured out their own way of bringing the string
into line and just ignored my comments.

We should have a conversation with students specifically
about which end of the yaw string is the pointer/tail/indicator,
etc. and which foot does what to that end of the string
under discussion.

On the other hand, perhaps my analogies are just weird.


I don't think they are weird, mine were 'kick the ball'
and 'draw the string'. Of course these days I never
have to use them that is why I remember them so well.
Isn't stepping on snakes a bit dangerous? :-)