Posted on 07/15/2009 10:41:36 AM PDT by bs9021
Advanced Placement for Dummies
by: Deborah Lambert, July 15, 2009
Should AP classes be available for everyone, regardless of their skill sets?
Absolutely not, says Laurie Rogers, author of the book, Betrayed, who noted in EducationNews.org that she thought it was a “really stupid idea.”
A theory among educators is that even if the kids aren’t qualified, “they’ll learn just by being there.” In fact, many educators think in terms of “equity,” “opportunity” and the fact that these classes are “challenging” the kids.
Rogers disagrees, especially about math.
While young children usually enjoy math and science, Rogers says that “by 4th grade they’ve changed their minds forever,” and she puts the “blame squarely on reform mathematics.”
The problem begins when teachers abandon traditional math in favor of teaching students there are “multiple alternate” ways to solve problems. Worse than that, “discovery teaching models have them working in groups or pairs to teach concepts to each other.”
“Traditional methods don’t work anymore,” parents are told. “Our kids need 21st-century skills.”
Even though they might not learn a thing, kids are routinely pushed into AP math classes all the way through high school.
For most, the day of reckoning eventually occurs in college when up to 95% require remedial math, many in simple arithmetic.
Rogers notes that the way to fix this problem is to start off with the proper teaching methods.....
(Excerpt) Read more at campusreportonline.net ...
2 + 2 = 5? Maybe?
These "educators" are blithering morons educated beyond their intelligence.
You don't learn "just by being there", especially not in Math.
Yes, for large values of 2 and small values of 5.
There are some problems for which there are “multiple alternate” ways to a solution, but there is still only one solution.
Only for very large values of 2.
There’s a way to deal with this. Didja ever notice that what used to be a large McDonalds drink (22 oz) is now the medium?
We can let the ordinarily unqualified students into an AP class in math. The former AP students can be placed in Honors AP, or AAP, or Super AP, or even Super Honors AAP.
Unless there are multiple solutions...
If students are capable of AP courses, why not simply allow them to take the GED ( at any age)or a similar private exam and allow them to enroll in the community college or other college? Why not let their government K-12 school funding follow them to the college? Huh?
Answer: AP courses are a way to employ NEA union members, and to keep smart kids in an infantile state.
By the way, my homeschooled kids enrolled in the community college at the ages of 13, 12, and 13. All three finished all their college general requirements and Calculus III by the age of 15. Two finished their B.S. degrees in mathematics by the age of 18.
Think about this. How many people use advanced math and science on the job?
I think the answer is not many. Which tells you how important AP math and science is to your average student.
“2 + 2 = 5?”
I can prove this on Excel.
So can I.
Yet another example of the perfidy of the Trolls of Redmond.
I am not in education but why would anyone want to put kids in classes where it is completely over their heads? When many people get discouraged they just give up and once that happens their minds become unreachable.
Because it benefits the NEA, which doesn’t give a damn about “Education”, but solely about their own power and money.
At least the American Federation of Teachers complies with Truth-in-Advertising laws.
NEA delenda est.
This is just the next step in the liberal agenda to create a two tier society. You eliminate education from the masses, so only the rich kids in private schools are properly educated. If unqualified kids get into AP, then the AP class will move at the speed of the slowest student. Essentially no AP. No advanced classes for the gifted students = Equal outcomes = Lowest common denominator = Democrat victories.
“Traditional methods don’t work anymore,” parents are told. “Our kids need 21st-century skills.”
Bwahhahhahhahhah. Who says traditional methods don’t work anymore? Textbook purveyors?
Looks like parents have to tell school officials how they want math taught to their children. At least that’s the idea I get from reading the last paragraph of the article.
This from the idiots who thought it a great idea to “teach” kids to read using “whole language.” What a dismal failure that turned out to be.
Why do people trust these clowns anymore?
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