How Not to Teach Math

City Journal ^ | 7 March 2003 | Matthew Clavel

[Hobsonphile]

Why Johnny can't compute.

[Hobsonphile]

Another answer to the "progressive" crowd would be the following:

Given that until this century, most children were educated by some form of "drill-and-kill," how might you explain the innovative intellects of the Wright brothers, Edison, or even the Founding Fathers? How do explain the existence of undeniable masterpieces in art and literature pre-dating 1900?

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[cosine]

Want to check your child's math progress? See the antidote for Fuzzy Math, the Mathematically Correct curriculum standards at http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com/

[netmilsmom]

Where do they come up with this stuff???
I taught my 5 year old how to compute simple equations on a number line over Christmas break. When I proudly told this to her teacher when she returned to school, the lady gave me a blank stare. To this moment, I'm not sure if she did not approve of what I had done or did not know what a number line was.

[Illbay]

Unfortunately such garbage "education" theories as these get foisted on the inner-city and lower-income kids, because those school systems tend to be more dependent upon Federal dollars for their operation, and Federal programs tend to make these theory-laden programs mandatory (because they are mostly developed by Educrats working under Federal grants--your money and mine).

There IS racism inherent in the system, but it doesn't come from the citizenry. It comes from the bureaucrats in the government.

[sauropod]

Book Suggestion: The Road to Serfdom, by F.A. Hayek.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

When a middle schooler is learning to factor equations in eighth grade, it’s a crippling waste of mental energy if he needs to figure out how many times four goes into 20.

Sadly, and this may sound snobbish, but I bet that the vast majority of people (not necessarily Freepers) will not even understand this statement, which puts a serious limit on their ability to see it as persuasive evidence.

[ecurbh]

Bump

[Hawkeye's Girl]

Well, I never liked factoring or multiples, so I'm onboard.

[brewcrew]

And have you seen or heard what passes as cutting-edge art or music these days? 200 years from now this age will be known as the Age of the Artistic Vacuum.

Anyone who says there's no connection between this and the touchy-feely crap that passes as education these days is blind, deaf, and ought to be dumb.

[The Great RJ]

Teaching Math in 1950:

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math in 1960:

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math in 1970:

A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a Set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C", the cost of production contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?

Teaching Math in 1980:

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math in 1990:

By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the Logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.

Teaching Math in 2000:

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $120. How does Arthur Andersen determine that his profit margin is $60?

Teaching Math in 2010:

El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es.............

[Oberon]

To this moment, I'm not sure if she did not approve of what I had done or did not know what a number line was.

Heh. A woman I know is a Spanish and French teacher in a local public high school. She has one employer, one income (she's a single mom). Every year about this time she takes her W-2 form to H&R Block so that they can fill out her Form 1040-EZ.

Yes, you read that right. She PAYS H&R BLOCK TO FILL OUT HER EZ FORM!!!

[brewcrew]

Another book suggestion: Dumbing Down Our Kids

Written by the same guy who headed up this weekend's Support the Troops Rally in Milwaukee.

[Jim Noble]

>>Maybe this approach wouldn?t lead to utter disaster in a wealthy suburban classroom<<

Oh, it most certainly does-trust me.

[dasboot]

Saxon Math Curriculum is the answer to the question.

Public schools hate it.

I flunked Algebra in HS.

I trained myself, using Saxon, up to the Calculus in two years.

My daughter completed the entire course, including Calculus and Physics, after two years....working on her own..by age 16.

Now graduating from engineering school (#1 in class), she says that all the top students are Saxon kids.

If you want to homeschool, or want to supplement a PS education, go Saxon. PROVEN RESULTS!

[LeftIsSinister]

So, what is a number line?

[txzman]

One of our best set of friends are from Xian, CHina. Their son arrived in the US 4 years ago and started the 4th grade speaking almost no English.

He has now skipped a grade, is at the top end of his class in Math and Science and speaks very fluent English. How?

He kept on using his Chinese study books which were full of simple but non-stop memorization, tables, repetitive exercises and graduated approaches to learning the basics.

Another prime example on how the liberal, "we know what's best" approach to education is killing this country.

[FourtySeven]

THAT, was very very funny, thanks. hehe I'm still laughing.

[ladylib]

And once it is in place, it is very difficult to remove, even if students are failing tests by the droves.

It happened in my niece's suburban elementary school. My sister-in-law (who was a public school teacher at one time and developed math curriculum for the county) knew it was a clunker, and with a group of parents tried to prevent its implementation.

Her daughter now goes to a Catholic school.

[r9etb]

There's nothing particularly new here. Back in the Korean War days, they discovered from testing that many more soldiers were illiterate than had been the case during WWII -- less than 10 years earlier.

The primary factor, it turned out, was that phonics had gone out of fashion in the interim, to be replaced by the "look-say" method whereby kids memorize words. Many couldn't do it, and thus couldn't read.

The major problem here is that we Americans tend to rely overmuch on what "experts" say, even when it runs counter to experience and common sense. Sometimes the experts are right -- even in education. But often they're wrong, and people still cannot or will not challenge them.

My personal opinion is that many of our educational problems would be taken care of by requiring incoming teachers to earn a real college degree, followed by a few methods classes. As it is now, one can (must?) become a teacher by taking years of "methods" classes, and only a few real subjects.