[rarestia]

I say this as a writer and social scientist

I stopped reading at this point. The author has no basis for constructing this article.

I have a BA in English and a graduate certificate in professional writing, but I went up to Calc III in college. Algebra is not impossible. We need to come up with more creative, practical ways to teach it.

[virginia lurker]

You hit the nail on the head. I had a hard time with Algebra in High School but the after the first week of Calc in college I figured out what the 2 years of Algebra was about. The difference was how the subject was presented.

[drwoof]

“...more creative ways to teach it.” AMEN. I struggled (got D's) in both HS and JC Algebra. It wasn't until I took physics at a genuine University that I understood why: Algebra (excepting the word problems) had to me been like a language with nothing to say. Once I realized that algebra (and all of math, really) is the language of the sciences (and thus, the key to solving some very, very interesting puzzles), I was hooked.

If I had been taught algebra in the context of physics in HS, it would have clicked. Just the way my brain is wired.

Commenting on the foolishness of the original article, I'd have a few years ago been shocked by such “thinking”. No longer. Our nation seems now to be overrun (or run) by a bunch of “big thinkers” from junior high who, because they've had smoke blow up their rears for so long, honestly believe that any opinion they happen to develop is a) correct, and b) beyond brilliant.

[InterceptPoint]

Algebra is not impossible. We need to come up with more creative, practical ways to teach it.

Well I certainly agree with that. And the solution is pretty obvious to me. Here is the way you do it:

1. Burn all the politically correct, 10 lb, full color, very expensive algebra texts currently in vogue and ban their use forever.

2. Purchase any 1910 algebra textbook weighing in at 6-7 ounces or so and use it to teach algebra using the old fashioned and proven Theory, Example Problems and Problems for the Student approach.

Advantages: Schools save $billions, students learn algebra and they don't need a backpack to lug their math book to school.

[Calvin Locke]

I stopped reading at this point.

"New York Times" is enough to cast doubt on the veracity of any column, particularly on the opinion page.

The are very few real "social scientists", even less competent and honest ones. The rest, >99.44%, are merely useful idiots.