Posted on 04/05/2011 5:39:25 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Of course it's clear.
Crystal.
The fraction of the white population that will EVER be "ready for college", in the traditional sense, is around 25%. It doesn't matter what classes they take, it doesn't matter what methods are used, it doesn't matter how much fraud is committed in the exams or the grades.
If by "ready for college" you mean getting laid, smoking dope, and learning vulgar Marxism, then, yeah, getting more students "ready" is possible.
“Yep, Saxon math Algebra II here when I was in 7th grade. I don’t think I ever did so well in a math course again. “
Worked like a charm for my kids. You just have to make sure they do EVERY problem...you check the answers, and you make sure they correct their mistakes.
It’s FOOL-PROOF.
“Same with my kids. You are right about Saxon Math. Today’s math text books are full of fluff. Lots of pictures and stories about how math “saved the day”, but not too much actual math.”
Yea, I looked at a public school text once. It had 100 people named as authors, diversity consultants, shrinks, you name it.
In the book there was a picture of Nelson Mendela. While I admire someone that would spend DECADES of his life in jail for a (just) cause, I still cannot figure what he did to advance math.
“Hmmm, my kids had Algebra 2 wired by third grade (age 10)
No insult meant to BobL by any means, but it’s NOT amazing, when you consider that public schools do so much damage to the love of learning in children by age 10. “
Actually, you’re right. And I’ve made DAMN SURE that my kids understand they are NOTHING SPECIAL. They’re just normal kids, who happened to have math taught to them correctly.
It’s still a lot of work to be grades ahead, but it does NOT turn kids into zombies, if you use Saxon...it just means that the kids average 2 or 3 hours of math a day, for about 4 or 5 years, and they’re done with Calculus. It’s just focused work...no different than language immersion.
“Are you sure that your kids can handle imaginary numbers, simultaneous equations, the quadratic formula, factoring, completing the square, plotting functions, finding slopes ...? “
I think that the rest of your post answers your own questions. Age really has nothing to do with it. The key is that they learn the fundamentals and build on them. As long as they’re big enough to lift up a pencil, they can learn math.
But, you do have to use the right curriculum. The stuff today being used in most classrooms is designed for ‘self-esteem’ and crap like that. It is NOT meant for kids to excel in. You must use Saxon, Russian, or Singapore Math, REGARDLESS of what the ‘experts’ tell you. THEY ARE LYING.
I suggest they stick with the 3 R’s and add info on maintaining a household budget, including showing what it costs to raise a child, food, clothes, shelter, medical dental etc.
Teach them how to shop, price per ounce, generic vs name brands etc,
Nutrition and cooking lessons.
About Insurance, retirement, cost to buy a house, car, credit etc.
Show them where their tax dollars go, and explain the hidden taxes.
Subjects they will use the rest of their lives and help them to live healthier and realistic lives.
Teaching them a little common courtesy and anger management and what happens if they break the law might help also.
And, contrary to my polemical speech, your kids ARE special!
Have you seen the documentary, "Waiting for Superman?" It's done by the same guy who did that drivel, "Inconvenient Truth," but before you shut me off thinking this FReeper has gone off the deep end, the documentary is inspired by the fact that the director/main character takes his girls to a private school, bypassing at least 3 [failing] public schools on the way to drop them off, and he's trying (IMHO) to assuage his hypocritical guilt about it (sorry to be so harsh).
Homeschooling is the giant elephant standing in the room of this documentary, which the guy can't see, but it's heartbreaking to see these families struggling, completely dependent on a failing system, and still placing their hopes in it.
You'll have to sit through an insufferable interview with Bill Gates, who pretends to care about American workers, but other than that, it's highly provacative (even as he donates billions to abort babies overseas - how loving).
Hey, and the best part is, if you watch it with your children, they'll be thanking you for homeschooling them for weeks after viewing it.
I'm quite positive the guy didn't mean to make an arguement FOR homeschooling, but that was part of the "unintended consequences" of his honesty in portraying the system.
“Hey, keep up the great work! And, contrary to my polemical speech, your kids ARE special!”
Thanks, and my kids are special, because they are my kids. But I know what you’re saying and I appreciate your comment (and I understood what you meant before).
Waiting for Superman is UNREAL. One of the most effective lines by the educational establishment is that parents today have, essentially, gone on strike, and don’t really care about their kids. Well, I saw A LOT of parents that would GIVE ANYTHING they could for their kids...but were stuck in their situations (by you know who). I also saw kids that will study their tails off, if they could get the chance. It’s the most moving film that I’ve ever seen and I’m glad it’s getting a lot of attention.
In High School?! I have an 8th grader taking it. He already scheduled for Advanced Geometry (Honors class)his Freshman year next year, and Calculus his Sophmore year.
I seem to recall when I was in High School, Algebra, Algebra II and Geometry were all requirements to graduate, so when did it change that Algebra II wasn't required?
Can't believe you said that. I LOVED algebra. It was the most important course I ever took. I use it almost daily.
Geometry, on the other hand, was a burden. Important for someone selling carpet but other than that useless and no fun.
Of course I loved statistics too. That's very conceptual/visual too but in a way that is different than geometry.
All too often, bad teachers and poor teaching methods cripple math instruction.
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