Posted on 11/12/2009 10:45:24 AM PST by george76
More city kids are graduating from high school, but that doesn't mean they can do college math.
Basic algebra involving fractions and decimals stumped a group of City University of New York freshmen - suggesting city schools aren't preparing them...
"These results are shocking," ... "They show that a disturbing proportion of New York City high school graduates lack basic skills."
During their first math class at one of CUNY's four-year colleges, 90% of 200 students tested couldn't solve a simple algebra problem... Only a third could convert a fraction into a decimal.
The lack of math skills means the CUNY students - nearly 70% of which come from city schools - could struggle to keep up with peers, fail classes or even drop out...
John Jay College sophomore Ahmed Elshafaie, 19, who graduated from Long Island City High School, said he avoids math classes.
"I don't want to ruin my GPA," he said. "High school standards were really low."
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
"I don't want to ruin my GPA," he said. "High school standards were really low."
Another winner aspiring to earn a degree in telemarketing.
On the brighter side, I bet they have an excellent appreciation for diversity, and can discuss the finer points of gay sex without embarrasment.
Yes, they can.
And those skills are in great demand at GM, Chrysler, Bank of America, AIG, and other government-owned businesses.
It’s all by design. Hence, the idiots who vote for the likes of an Obama....
>90% of 200 students tested couldn’t solve a simple algebra problem
What? You mean “if Joey sold 3 bags of crack fo’ 2 K’s, how much would he bring back to the crib, yo” can’t be solved?
Huh, ok, well not everyone should go to college....
Basic algebra involving fractions and decimals stumped a group of City University of New York freshmen - suggesting city schools aren't preparing them...
WHAT? Fractions and decimals? That's not college math, that's third grade math. Second grade for homeschoolers.
“These results are shocking”
#####
Only to those who haven’t been paying attention to the ascension of the non-judgmental, politically-correct mindset which is destoying the very foundation of our society.
I was watching a German documentary on employers testing German 17-year olds for apprentice positions. They had ten simple math problems (what’s three-quarters of an hour for example). And out of ten German kids who took the simple quiz...only two got seven or more right.
I think math teachers in general...are failing to get across math skills....period. Kids are unable to grasp how a simple formula can be used in a business or job situation. They are simply memorizing enough math formulas to pass a test, and nothing else.
I think the better skill here....around the eighth grade...is two entire years of business math.
>> Another winner aspiring to earn a degree in telemarketing.
(overheard during his job skills training)
Student: “You want fry with that?”
Teacher: “Fries. Would you like fries with that.”
Student: “Fries with that?”
Teacher” “Use a complete sentence, please. Would you like fries with that.”
Student: “With what?”
Teacher: (face palm)
....
Not really. Ya see, what the article fails to mention is that it's the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
And these are the ones that went on to college, I just can’t imagine how well educated the ones are that didn’t go on to college.
90% of 200= A bunch of democrat voters.
Don’t need no stinkin’ algeebra (hee, hee -— ‘bra’). All they need to know is how to vote........Democrat.....screw NYC
When I was home schooled I was doing solid geometry in the equivalent of 11th. grade in public schools ... math was my best followed by physics and history ....
I taught basic college algebra as a graduate student in the late 80’s. For many students it was the only math class they’d need (or take) to complete their degree. I was told it was the most failed class at the University.
I’d bet 100% would fail a history test also. They are just pushing them through to get the numbers up.
Ha! Give the same test to the high school math teachers and see what you get.
You’re right.
A big part of the problem are teachers’ colleges and programs. They focus incessantly upon “methods” and have stopped worrying about results.
A big part of their push on “methods” is to try to make students “understand” math - which is pretty humorous, because it is very apparent that most elementary and secondary teachers don’t understand, much less know, math. Many teachers are downright scared of math - and they pass this on to some kids as well.
Kids aren’t dumb - they might be uneducated, but they’re not dumb. They can smell a teacher who doesn’t know what s/he is teaching a mile away - and tune out very quickly.
The thing that positively infuriates me, tho, is how much money we piss down a hole in the ground on these idiotic new textbooks for math. There is NOTHING new in K-12 mathematics in the last 100 years other than perhaps synthetic division. That’s it. Absent loss or destruction of a book, there is NO need for a new math book in any school in this country. None. We should identify a good, solid math textbook for every grade (or every couple of grades) and then make it standard. So what if some idiotic PhD in a teacher’s college doesn’t like the textbook five years from now? They’re not teaching kids. They’re just scribbling jargon for a paper, which is utterly inconsequential to teaching children math.
My shoot-from-the-lip estimate is that you’d see about a 30 to 60% failure rate.
Yes, it is that bad in many public school systems. Appallingly bad.
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