Posted on 04/29/2021 8:28:57 AM PDT by Kaslin
The commonwealth of Virginia, which used to be reliably red and mostly conservative, is providing more evidence of an increasingly blue and liberal hue.
Virginia is "considering" renovating its math courses. As the publication Virginia Mercury noted, "In webinars (Virginia Department of Education) officials have been upfront that the initiative is based on data, especially standardized test scores that show Black, Hispanic and low-income students have lower pass rates on state math assessments than White and Asian students. Those critical of the initiative have argued that Virginia is lowering its standards in favor of certain students instead of improving instruction to help more children reach advanced courses."
Initial reports, fueled by one county official, had this as a done deal, but that the state is even thinking about recommending such changes is indicative of where we are as a country. Instead of elevating students to standards that would help them achieve more in life, we lower those standards, sending a message that underachievement is OK.
If Virginia follows through on these math proposals - and officials deny a final decision has been made - it will add to America's decline in essential subjects. It would be another example of the soft bigotry of low expectations.
According to a National Center for Education Statistics (NAEP) report in 2019, math and science scores for fourth- and eighth-graders have dropped since 2017."
atics teachers in the US and the People's Republic of China, the researchers found that while American teachers were more knowledgeable about general educational theories and classroom skills, Chinese teachers had stronger knowledge of the subject matter they were teaching, as well as a better understanding of the overall elementary curriculum that their students had covered and would cover in later years."
While Americans are dumbing-down, the Chinese are smartening-up.
The study adds, "For the past 20 years, studies of math achievement have shown that Chinese (and other East Asian) children consistently outperform their American counterparts in almost every area."
Like "income inequality," there are those who believe "equity" means everyone should make the same and in the case of math, be equally stupid.
I was a terrible math student. My father was good at math. He would explain a problem to me and I sometimes would still not get it. He loved and was good at golf. I didn't and wasn't. He was not a natural public speaker. I am. He was not that good a writer. I will leave the judgment on my ability to readers.
atics teachers in the US and the People's Republic of China, the researchers found that while American teachers were more knowledgeable about general educational theories and classroom skills, Chinese teachers had stronger knowledge of the subject matter they were teaching, as well as a better understanding of the overall elementary curriculum that their students had covered and would cover in later years."
While Americans are dumbing-down, the Chinese are smartening-up.
The study adds, "For the past 20 years, studies of math achievement have shown that Chinese (and other East Asian) children consistently outperform their American counterparts in almost every area."
Like "income inequality," there are those who believe "equity" means everyone should make the same and in the case of math, be equally stupid.
I was a terrible math student. My father was good at math. He would explain a problem to me and I sometimes would still not get it. He loved and was good at golf. I didn't and wasn't. He was not a natural public speaker. I am. He was not that good a writer. I will leave the judgment on my ability to readers.
Cal contradicts himself. On one hand he says that what is needed is better instruction. On the other hand he speaks of some having more natural ability.
What amazes me is that black parents are proud to let the world know their kids are morons and everyone will be pulled down to moron stage ,in order to make dumb black kids feel better....
Scan the tests through Dominion scanners to increase minority and low income student scores 20-30% while lowering the scores of the smarter students.
Mathematics are, for the most part, a pretty exact application of the rules of computation, and absolutely indispensable in the application of hard sciences to engineering disciplines and technological excellence in today’s world.
Dumbing down this very basic tool of modern and classical scientific progress is anathema to logic and reason. Very imprecise conclusions are the only expected outcome.
If any conclusions can even be drawn.
But, but...math is hard.
The Dumbing down of America, it’s easier to make people stupid it takes more effort to be smarter.
I don’t think that’s contradictory; those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. Students with more natural ability would still benefit from “better instruction.” The classes need to be appropriately challenging to foster each student’s talent, whether the math level is remedial, average, or gifted.
.......back during the Second World War, the Navy had an expression that is still valid today, that a convoy can only travel as fast as its slowest ship....same thing here....remember some many years ago when it was theorized that if you put really smart kids in classes with the really slow ones, the slow ones would catch up to the faster ones....yeah, sure....remember those convoys of many years ago......
No worries; Chinese kids will replace Americans and they seem to be pretty darn good at math. They don't care if it's "racist", "difficult" or "purple".
"Everyone has different skill sets. Students with math skills ought to be encouraged as some might end up in the space program or other areas that benefit humankind. Those with fewer skills can be helped.
Promoting equal outcomes in math and other subjects can only advance mediocrity, of which we have quite enough."
Dumb it down. That’s what dems do.
I do remember putting the slow kids with the smart ones...They even had the smart ones tutoring the slow ones during class...
What I mean is that not everybody is capable of mastering higher math no matter what the instruction is.
Not every student with fewer skills can be helped. Many people will never be able to master higher math, nor do they want to do so. The idea that all students can achieve at the same level is ludicrous.
Oh, I certainly agree with you there!
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