Posted on 07/29/2012 6:05:38 AM PDT by reaganaut1
A TYPICAL American school day finds some six million high school students and two million college freshmen struggling with algebra. In both high school and college, all too many students are expected to fail. Why do we subject American students to this ordeal? I’ve found myself moving toward the strong view that we shouldn’t.
My question extends beyond algebra and applies more broadly to the usual mathematics sequence, from geometry through calculus. State regents and legislators — and much of the public — take it as self-evident that every young person should be made to master polynomial functions and parametric equations.
There are many defenses of algebra and the virtue of learning it. Most of them sound reasonable on first hearing; many of them I once accepted. But the more I examine them, the clearer it seems that they are largely or wholly wrong — unsupported by research or evidence, or based on wishful logic. (I’m not talking about quantitative skills, critical for informed citizenship and personal finance, but a very different ballgame.)
This debate matters. Making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent. In the interest of maintaining rigor, we’re actually depleting our pool of brainpower. I say this as a writer and social scientist whose work relies heavily on the use of numbers. My aim is not to spare students from a difficult subject, but to call attention to the real problems we are causing by misdirecting precious resources.
The toll mathematics takes begins early. To our nation’s shame, one in four ninth graders fail to finish high school. In South Carolina, 34 percent fell away in 2008-9, according to national data released last year; for Nevada, it was 45 percent. Most of the educators I’ve talked with cite algebra as the major academic reason.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I did very well with Algebra I and Geometry, My Algebra II teacher was absolutely horrendous. I did less than miserable that year, my parents were very upset with me over it. Finally after some one on one consultations my Dad said and I quote “She couldn’t teach someone how to add one plus one.”
So I transferred over to a different class that concentrated on “practical” mathematics. That one was fun and taught me how math was used in our everyday lives.
“Y” is that side “x”. A wants to know.
You OBVIOUSLY didn’t read all my posts, genius. And no I didn’t have to paddle my kids to teach them, you are abusive, loser. My kids went to private Montessori and got a really good basis for everything and were reading prior to kindergarten.
“Get my money’s worth” get lost loser
ROFL!!!
That was a great way to start my morning computer session.
I have a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. I tell people all the time that the MOST useful course I EVER took in school was... algebra. I still use it today.. frequently.
That said, I think Algebra I covered all the parts that I really use. I can see how a great number of people really DON’T NEED Algebra II.
Isn’t anything before algebra just arithmetic? Which isn’t being taught very well either.
No, the sheep don't need to understand math, that way they are more likely to believe the line of {expletive} the liberal elite, fascists, and more equal pigs try to feed them.
Full disclosure here - I like math, and I have two masters degrees in engineering... So I'm coming at the from the other side, just about the polar opposite of the guy saying you don't need algebra. I use it every single day.
Sports and PE are too competitive and dangerous. Let's stick to classes on how racist the Founding Fathers were.
Agreed. How could you even successfully live life without Alg1 and Geometry ? You can’t even re-proportion a recipe without solving for X - wtf ? I get no calc or trig or AB but jeez -
“Get my money’s worth” get lost loser”
You OBVIOUSLY didn’t read my first sentence. This may help:
www.hookedonphonics.com
I hated Algebra. I struggled with that and all other forms of math and engineering courses, which I took for years because they were required. But as difficult as it was, it was good exercise for my brain. It disciplined me to knuckle down and concentrate and succeed in the difficult things.
And by the way, you ADMITTED to sending at least one of your kids to public school, you are OBVIOUSLY a failure as a parent.
(see, that’s how you read my post)
The older kid got more because the bigger body required more energy.
Guess who was older.
And guess what happened when he got bigger than me....I had to buy my own candy.
A computer program is just algebra.
kook
He may well have saved your life!
That's the problem: there is no way to subjectively grade a math test, no way for poor academic performance to hide.
Going to a university is a waste of time and limited resources for artists, poets, basketball players. The cost exceeds any return on investment. Unfortunately they are incapable of doing the math on that.
I'm sure a pesticide applicator says that all the time.
“I would have gone for that in 6th grade. School was boring and easy (except for algebra) until HS Auto Mech.”
You must have been in my school. Auto Mechanics was KICK BUTT, my favorite class of high school. I’ve used those skills ever since.
yep, that’s how that deal goes down, lol!
Math teaches one to think, an asset sadly lacking in millions of Americans these days.
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