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Lagging Freshmen Reassigned Before Test - Pr. George's Creates 2-Year Algebra Class
Washington Post ^
| January 16, 2006
| Nick Anderson
Posted on 01/16/2006 3:02:46 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
...."We have to be honest with ourselves about this issue," said the county's interim schools chief, Howard A. Burnett. "Ninth-graders across the country and across this county are failing and have been failing. It hasn't worked, the way we've been doing things. And so we have to start doing things differently." And "doing things differently" means finding creative ways around the requirements?
To: Cincinatus' Wife
god forbid the school and the parents pushed the kids a little bit or like the old days no pass, no sports etc., or is this politioaly insensitive or incorrect?
To: NewHampshireDuo
"And "doing things differently" means finding creative ways around the requirements?"
Tell me how this is different than failing them in Algebra and making them retake the course?
Not everybody is "Algebra capable" the first time around. So you teach it slower and simplier.
OTOH, the kids left who grasp the concepts quicker, can speed up to more challenges.
Just some thoughts for the early morning. I'm really not defending them.
4
posted on
01/16/2006 3:38:59 AM PST
by
Lokibob
(Spelling and typos are copyrighted. Please do not use.)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
Maybe if the schools weren`t teaching how to slip condoms over cucumbers or how to adjust to the homo life they might learn what is expected of them in one year course. lets make school 15 years long maybe that might help.
5
posted on
01/16/2006 3:41:42 AM PST
by
bikerman
(only one more repo and I will be debt free)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
A possible scenario: students who fail algebra are given an opportunity to pass it during an intensive 8-hours-per-day summer school session. If they fail that, too, then they're shunted onto a vocational track for the remainder of their high school years, indicating that they're unlikely to be college material and should prepare themselves to work at McDonald's ("Let's see, tell me again what happens if I press this button with the little picture on it?"), at least until the robots replace them.
Another possible scenario: the sky falls.
To: Cincinatus' Wife
Wow this hits close to home. Parkdale High School was our local high school where I grew up. I attended private school... which should tell you a little about what my parents thought of Parkdale. Everyone I knew has moved from that area. There was a huge demographic shift in the 80's and 90's and now there are nothing but rapes and robberies in the area. This dumbing down comes as no surprise.
7
posted on
01/16/2006 3:52:52 AM PST
by
CurlyBill
(Democratic Party = Surrender Party)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
"one of Washington's largest suburban school systems."
Much of PG County is about as suburban as Detroit or Baltimore. The county is also a shining example of what happens when you allow Democrats to run a county. You get the highest crime rate and the worst school system out of any of the state's counties.
8
posted on
01/16/2006 3:52:58 AM PST
by
Johnnyboy2000
(Give it all up tommorrow to live in world without crime, and go back tothe circuit riding motocross)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
Better give those kids a four year algebra class. If the kid will not study, the kid is not going to learn algebra. It actually requires some some homework and effort to master.
Isn't Prince George County mostly black and mostly well off?
9
posted on
01/16/2006 3:55:20 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
Yeah, but I'd bet all those kids would pass Playstation with A+ grades.
10
posted on
01/16/2006 3:56:23 AM PST
by
Fresh Wind
(Democrats are guilty of whatever they scream the loudest about.)
To: snarks_when_bored
"A possible scenario: students who fail algebra are given an opportunity to pass it during an intensive 8-hours-per-day summer school session."
Instead, how about students who fail algebra get to work for the summer doing roofing or mowing lawns so that can get a feel for life in the global economy is going to be like without an education.
11
posted on
01/16/2006 3:58:24 AM PST
by
Ninian Dryhope
("Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers." The inestimable Mark Steyn)
To: Cincinatus' Wife
When my son started college, I was very surprised that in order to get your AA, or your BA, for that matter, you don't have to pass College Algebra anymore.
You can take "Liberal Arts Math."
Since he took the Alg. and following math courses, I didn't investigate the Lib Arts Math curriculum, but back in the Stone Ages, when I went to school, you couldn't get a degree unless you could pass, at least, College Alg. and Stats.
12
posted on
01/16/2006 3:58:56 AM PST
by
dawn53
To: Cincinatus' Wife
Two-year Algebra courses have been around for about 10 years. I don't know about PG, but in TX everyone HAS to take Algebra (and if you think everyone SHOULD take Algebra, you won't agree with me). If you are going to require all take it, you must try to accomodate the lower level kids. Even over two years, some won't make it.
Of course, if this is not a case of ALL, then it is just a way around the test. Heaven forbid we expect kids to do the work to pass a class or a test.
13
posted on
01/16/2006 3:59:25 AM PST
by
mathluv
(Bushbot, Snowflake, Dittohead ---- Bring it on!!!)
To: NewHampshireDuo; All
If teachers can't teach, students can't learn.
I've read too many articles about teachers that are afraid of math, are teaching outside of their field of study, or can't teach well. Then you have foreign math teachers that can be very difficult to understand.
To: dawn53
And they wonder why the U.S. has fallen so far behind in math and science degrees.
To: mathluv
From the article:
Virginia also has an algebra graduation test; D.C. public schools do not.Soft bigotry raises it's ugly head.
To: Johnnyboy2000
I hope Maryland votes Michael Steele (Lt. Gov)in as their new U.S. Senator.
Gov. Ehrlich (R) has done more for Maryland than any democrat promised to do.
To: CurlyBill
Send your parents a thank you letter.
To: JohnLongIsland
Public schools are havens for democrat party activism.
Education (the basics) is not their main objective.
This hogwash has sprung from LIBERAL schools of education run by LIBERAL activists.
To: Fresh Wind
And though they can't memorize formulas, they know all the words to those goofy rap songs....
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