Throw in social promotion and some bad teachers and Bob's your uncle.
Posted on 03/28/2016 5:07:09 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Who needs algebra?
That question muttered by many a frustrated student over the years has become a vigorous debate among American educators, sparked by a provocative new book that argues required algebra has become an unnecessary stumbling block that forces millions to drop out of high school or college.
“One out of 5 young Americans does not graduate from high school. This is one of the worst records in the developed world. Why? The chief academic reason is they failed ninth-grade algebra,” said political scientist Andrew Hacker, author of “The Math Myth and Other STEM Delusions.”
Hacker, a professor emeritus at Queens College, argues that, at most, only 5 percent of jobs make use of algebra and other advanced math courses. He favors a curriculum that focuses more on statistics and basic numbers sense and less on (y – 3)2 = 4y – 12.
“Will algebra help you understand the federal budget?” he asked. …
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
“if Algebra is so important and necessary, then the teachers should do a better job of teaching and preparing the students to learn algebra. Teachers are paid to teach. They are not paid to occupy a desk.”
All good and fine, except that the vast majority of public school teachers are liberal arts types that HATE MATH, which is why they’re trying to get rid of it.
More important than algebra is how to balance a checkbook.
That isn’t taught either.
Most people do not use algebra in their daily lives. I think the article said 5%. I believe that number.
I think those people who need it should learn it, and those who will not likely ever use it, should focus more heavily on basic math, which for some reason doesn't seem to be getting learned to the degree that it should.
Witness the architects of the Federal Budget every year.
:)
Statistics involves algebra. Anything that has a variable value is automatically algebra. Where you have continuous random variables, that involves calculus.
We shouldn’t make people read either.
hey
READIN
WRITIN
COUNTIN
...
discarded from “education”
JUST FEEL GOOD
PC EXCREMENT
look what ihas done for ‘america
Here’s the most important thing about using algebra. Whatever you do to one side of the equation you have to the other. To keep it equal.
I always felt it was important that the instructor should tell students why we are going to learn something and how to get there. I would figure it out for myself partway through.
I do use simple algebra quite often and sometimes a little geometry. I have limitations though. I missed a problem about angular velocity on a test. To this day, I don't understand it.
I showed my engineer father, and he had it worked out like it was nothing.
When one learns an abstract problem solving method like algebra (or calc, or diff eqs.) It develops a part of the brain to do these types of problems. It also develops reading, writing, organization, and other disciplines.
So way down the road, one may have forgotten the method to do a complex math problem, but one only needs to pick up a book (internet) to find the procedure.
If the student never learns it in the first place, they will never have all of the attendant skills that came with learning it in the first place.
Personally, I always thought that sports was a waste of time. However, now after 20+ years in industry, I see that my above theory is correct: People that did sports show discipline, reasoning, strategy that others (like me) had to learn the hard way.
” I think the article said 5%. I believe that number”
Oooo. The new one percenters. Actually, when you think about it, there are relatively few people who have the knowledge to understand how many advanced things work.
Another thought, everything that we have and most that we do; automobiles, planes, farming, cooking, fuel, electricity, phones, TV, computers, essentially everything is the result of someone making use of advance mathematics so the rest of us knuckleheads can live comfortably. I guess we have a lot to thank the 1% and the 5% for.
Looked at another way, I guess you could say math causes climate change. Get rid of math, or stop teaching it, and all they claim that is altering the climate will cease to be. Of course that does not mean the climate will get better as we consume everything to survive but it is interesting to consider.
Absence of reading skills probably causes HS failures also. Maybe reading could also be eliminated.
Then, the teachers could just show YouTube videos all day to their wards.
Maybe have school districts buy alot of Xboxes and let the "students" have fun. After all, who are we to impose the white man's mathematics on everyone else?
Mr D (DiPasquali) told us ... “Don’t try to understand Algebra ... just learn the rules and do the calculations by the rules”
I took a slide rule class in 1967. I even bought a pretty nice plastic slide rule.
It was only a few years before electronic calculators took over.
Dumbing down. We’re slowly being replaced by foreigners for a reason.
..I had a construction project to build bookshelves on a wall..
Get out your tape measure and figure it out.
Neither did I. I loved Algebra, hated geometry. If you aren’t going to use it, you’re gonna lose it anyway. Problem I had was I was supposed to be a car mechanic, but being a woman and not wanting to get my hands greasy, forget it. I can still figure out most things, though.
And the abject failure of the newer generations to deal with the subjects is reflected in their politics.
That is OK, burger flippers do not need math skills, and the MS tells them all they need to know about who to vote for.
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