Posted on 01/12/2005 2:30:56 PM PST by nickcarraway
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Students and teachers beginning in the fall will face a newer kind of math in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
The state Board of Regents this week adopted the new policy for schools statewide that will include teaching algebra concepts starting in the fifth grade and quadratic equations in eighth grade. The teaching of those subjects in depth has mostly been reserved for high school.
"There is no question in our minds that this will position New York state well internationally," said William Brosnan, superintendent of Northport schools on Long Island and chairman of the Regents' panel on overhauling math.
Its findings were sent to teachers and other educators statewide. The panel received 2,000 responses and incorporated many of the concerns and recommendations, Brosnan said Wednesday.
The goal, said Brosnan, is to provide a clear, sequential math education in the lower grades that gives a deep understanding of math, adding the concept has proven effective in Singapore, Japan and several other countries.
Critics have argued the new standards may be too challenging. Others argue the increased use of calculators, under strict conditions, could weaken some math skills.
But Brosnan said the new program will clarify what is to be taught and when. That's critical for building an understanding of the subject, he said, rather than just knowing how to follow formulas.
He said a recent national study proves the need. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation gave the state a "C" for its curriculum content and a "D" for clarity. This new system changes that, he said.
Math could have some room to be improved. I remember when I was in public screwl, most math before high school was a lot of boring review from previous years. If they do it right, and this works in getting more kids more math literate at earlier ages, that's good. I've run into 16 year olds from public screwls who can't add 1.5 and 2.1, though. So it might be a waste of time for a large number of students. Pushing computers was a complete fad. It was sort of like pushing TV and VCR literacy. If they wanted to help the kids, they would have pushed them to actually produce some software that required them to think critically and abstractly.
I am sure that there are some students in New York, who have as high aptitudes for mathematical concepts as the Japanese and Singaporian Chinese. I am also sure that there are a lot who do not. The concept "has proven effective" where it is applied to those who have the necessary aptitudes. If it is applied to those who do not, it will only serve to further discourage and cause the less math savvy to tune out even what they could grasp.
Formula education, applied to mass student bodies, is almost always a mistake. But the N.E.A. is one of those groups that pursue the nonsense of an interchangeable humanity--something this planet has never seen and never will.
William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site
Bump
I recall coming out of my linear algebra final exam and hearing this exchange between two others in the class:
Student1:"Thank God! I never have to take another math class again!"
Student2:"What's your major?"
Student1:"Secondary Ed- Math"
And my brother the teacher gets upset when I say "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."
No silly, it's Pittsburgh, which has no "y" in it.
Now I am really impressed with my daughter's first grade teacher.... The kids are learning pre-algebra in FIRST grade and they can read the problems! My daughter has a slight learning disability but understands her math problems. She goes to a public school BUT it is an "A" school in Florida where the teachers love Jeb Bush.
Yeah, me too, and yet the educational system just keeps getting better and better, eh? With all of the giant minds guiding public education for the last 40 years, you'd think every kid in the system should be the functional equivalent of a doctoral graduate of the last century.
Not.
You are right that it is easy to find negativity towards education. Such is our nature in society nowadays (just look at anti-war protestors or some of the liberals to name a couple of examples). It is harder to find the positives. We don't hear about them because of a negative media, but there are many. I am a conservative, but instead of seeing what negative things I could find or whine about, I decided to see how I could help out and became a teacher. I see miracles happen every year in my classroom with my students. They are my teachers too and I learn much from them such as little things can be exciting to learn, you can work past problems and be friends in five minutes, a lot of problems aren't as big as we think they are, and so on and so on.
You might be right to an extent here. Big government has controlled education in my state for years. It should be more on a local level.
Kids are indeed different. There are many more things to divide their attention. How many kids watch 3 hours of TV a night as opposed to reading a book for 3 hours? How many kids play ball with their friends as compared to those who play video games? There are indeed different circumstances. Thus the "blame" goes to a lot of different sources, not just one.
The administrator article that said "There is no question in our minds that this will position New York state well internationally..." reveals the intent - i.e., looking good as a district or city to the rest of the world.
Like any bell curve, some kids can handle advanced work and some take longer than their peers. IMO, pushing too much too soon is moot as far as benefits go, and quite possibly detrimental. Like the manic craze to push computer literacy early, I tend to think of this clamor as more faddism in the face of systemic failure.
You are indeed correct about the computer literacy early, but such is the brainchild of Republicans in my state. I see it among parents too. Some of my first grade students last year practiced 16 hours a week for baseball during school weeks. Needless to say, it affected them at school. I am amazed at the amount of extracurricular activities young kids are involved in nowadays. It almost seems to be a competition sometimes among parents to see whose kid is involved in the most things. The families I respect the most are those who take a balanced view--who regard education as being paramount, yet may have their kids involved in a few things (without overdoing it). These are often stable two-parent families (though some may not be) who are delightful people to be around, and recognize the value of education (but aren't out to bash the teacher, just ask how they can help improve the class).
The best two cases I think are two families I've known for years (and have taught at least two kids from each) who have lost young children of their own. Despite the very hard losses, no member of the families complained a bit and went on living their lives to the fullest. One of the moms told me that, "it doesn't matter who has the biggest house, the most cars, etc. It's what your heart is like." I have taken that to heart. You bet that I respect everything they have to say. There are just too many people that take too many things for granted and want their own way or they make a fuss about it or see what they can do to hurt or complain against another. I am still learning that I guess.
If the kids cannot do basic arithmetic without a calculator (or in some cases with it), then all the algebra in the world will not help them. They will be hopelessly lost and will lose interest in math, rightfully considering it beyond their capabilities. This in turn will cause a lowering of the standards again, which will in turn cause another round of math education 'reform'. Grades 1-5 should be a repititious round of basic arithmetic, using pencil, paper and brain only. After that, when the foundation is there, advanced concepts can be taught to a more receptive audience.
You are assuming the train leaving Chicago was headed west. Let's assume the Chicago train is heading east to NYC. Figure out if the LA train can catch up to the Chicago train, and if not why not? Ooops, I forgot, the LA train was taking the southern route via El Paso, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, then on to Philly where it terminates. Unless, however, it meets a westbound train near Houston on the SAME track. Then, I think both these trains terminate at the point of impact and well as a number of the passengers.
Of course, EVERYONE will be herded into these algebra classes. So EVERYONE can do well on the SAT, and EVERYONE can go to college.
What a waste of national resources.
Bump to that.
When was the last time anyone solved a real life problem using quadratic equations? -- or algebra for that matter?
Yet there are a lot of daily skills people don't have which are not taught. I'd rather see them educated about all those practical things -- instead of things 95% will not use.
The one thing I think everyone needs to be able to do is file an income tax return -- and in it, one has to learn all the skills required in daily living -- reading, writing, arithmetic.
There's no rule that says academic can't be useful.
**Critics have argued the new standards may be too challenging. **
Not! I subbed in a classroom today where I could not believe the weird math program. No drill -- just playing games.
Alarming!
Let's assume the Chicago train is heading east to NYC.
Now lets assume the train leaving Chicago is heading north to Canada...
Most of the children I've observed have not memorized their basic addition and subtraction facts in fourth grade and count on their fingers. Virtually none have memorized the multiplication tables. I am not impressed....
There are actually a lot more teahcers out there like you than many people believe.
I love the teachers in my daughter's school, and the admnistrators as well. Nothing and no one is perfect and I know some parents that have had some problems.....but on the whole it's in pretty good shape
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