Peter Wilhelm Stein

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Johann Peter Wilhelm Stein (born October 21, 1795 in Trier ; † March 17, 1831 ibid) was a German mathematician and teacher in Trier. He wrote several school books on mathematics and had a reputation as a math teacher.

Life

Stein grew up in Trier when it was part of France. From 1805 to 1810, the boy, who came from a middle-class background, was honored for his achievements in the subjects of Latin, French, religion, physics and geometry. In mathematics, he finally passed the competition for admission to the French elite universities ( Concours pour l'admission ) and was able to take up studies at the École polytechnique in Paris . Trained for the French technical civil service, he initially worked as a surveyor for the army before returning to his home town of Trier as a math teacher at the beginning of 1816. His publications on the subjects of mathematics and pedagogy received widespread attention. His textbooks on arithmetic led the University of Bonn to award Stein an honorary doctorate in 1829.

Stein was married twice and had six children.

Teaching style

Contemporary witnesses described Stein as a strict, enthusiastic and independent teacher. So he actively involved his students in the lessons and looked for alternatives to pure frontal teaching . He let his students work out possible solutions independently and encouraged them to work independently. He also left the school building with the classes to measure in nature, went outside with them and did practical exercises. A procedure that was rather unusual in established school operations in the first half of the 19th century. The school authorities also became aware of him. However, his early death prevented a wider work.

The memorial for Johann Peter Wilhelm Stein erected by his students in the year of his death

monument

A monument in the form of an obelisk was erected for Stein in the Olewig district , which was created by master stonemason J. Seeberger and is one of the cultural monuments in Trier-Olewig .

Fonts

  • Geographic trigonometry. Mainz 1825.
  • The elements of goniometry and trigonometry: a brief summary. 1827.
  • Beginnings of arithmetic and its applications in civil life. 1829.
  • The elements of algebra. 1828.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Do you know the Olewiger Obelisk? In: 16Vor - news from Trier. November 3, 2014, accessed March 2, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Stein, Peter Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Stein, Johann Peter Wilhelm (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German mathematician and mathematics teacher
DATE OF BIRTH October 21, 1795
PLACE OF BIRTH trier
DATE OF DEATH March 17, 1831
Place of death trier