For 50% of them, it's because they think this is six inches:
Posted on 04/23/2010 12:22:15 PM PDT by BruceDeitrickPrice
THAT’s the kind of clear thinking I’m talking about!
Calculators and Computers, that’s why. Takes away the need for rote memorization, but that’s how a lot of math concepts become ingrained.
Because it is a lie. Children need to learn math in a logical progression, not be introduced to concepts early on. They need to learn how to count to 10, then 100, then higher. Then they need to learn how to add. Then they need to memorize multiplication tables, etc. Everything builds on top of another.
I don't have children, but I have nephews. I can see the results of this New Garbage when I help them with their homework. If a kid answers half the questions right and get half wrong, consistantly, then you know they are just guessing at answers and do not understand the concepts or the questions. Especially, with simple concepts like: Round these numbers to the nearest 10's: 35, 54, 12, 143. And the kid comes up with 30, 50, 20, 140.
Perhaps those 40 problems were supposed to be easy? If it was all arithmetic perhaps it was just for developing speed? If the child is comfortable with it would not take that long.
I think language is a major problem but also culture, you do not see Asian kids having same problems that kids from South/Central America do, why I have no idea to be honest, but it does seems to be the case.
2.4 + 2.4 = 4.8 rounded to integer equals 2+2=5.
A dozen, a gross, and a score
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Equals nine square and not a bit more.
(((12+144+20)+(3*2))/7)+(5*11)=(9*9)+0
(182/7)+55=81+0
26+55=81
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
“No, there was “new math” as early as 1961, ...”
Say, I noticed you typed in your date upside down.
ROFLMAO
Makes perfect sense to me and I'm not a math guy.
2+2=3 when the government accounting office needs those numbers for pending legislation.
My reaction too. I don’t understand how teaching this is a bad thing.
I really don’t think it is actually being taught. Mind you, I have been away from the classroom for a while, so I am speculating. What I suspect is that the material is being presented in such a manner that the intent is to have the kids’ head spinning, and concluding that learning math is futile. Call it dumbing down by means of the heavy head trip. It was not present in math and science when I was in high school in the early 70’s, but it was creeping into history and literature courses at the time.
Generally speaking, abstraction is done through analogy. If kids cannot understand trivial things, they won’t be able to progress to the more abstract.
Well, I agree with you. They do need to learn the basics first. More importantly, I think they need to be held back until they have learned them. No social advancement and an emphasis on the basics. This works best for most I guess. But, I still think kids are far more able to learn advanced concepts than we give them credit for.
If you really want to see a disaster, check out this youtube. It’s an explanation of what the heck they are teaching our children.
Long, but very worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1qee-bTZI
Thanks for the ping. The main problem with mathematics education is mathematics educators.
For 50% of them, it's because they think this is six inches:
“smater
???”
Exactly, my dad who was educated to only 8th grade int he 30’s wouldn’t have made that error. Point is made.
This is how they tried to teach me. I was completely confused and my parents did not understand how to help me. They taught me arithmetic and it has served me well. I have a deep mistrust of the educational system to this day from my bad experience with the “New Math and Educational System.” I never went to high school, I got my GED and have done very well.
10 thumbs up. ;-)
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