In HS they would not be teaching her subtration and addition.

 

I thought this was about education in general. Sounded like she was never taught math at any level.

 

Still, she should have learned it somewhere, and she would have had to take some type of math classes in HS, and if she could neither add or subtract in any logical way, how in the world would she grasp rectangular/triangular numbers or even fractions? Her lack of ability would show.

 

She made it through HS. That opens up a whole other can of worms with the student being passed on regardless of what they know. THAT is a problem everywhere, not just here in EKY.

A Nobel Science Winner is from my school district.

I wasn't taught these concepts and he was before my time.

So, I would hazard a guess that when he was in the 6th grade he wasn't being taught regtangular and triangular numbers.

And he is one that was involved in discovering DNA.

 

Watson or Crick went to your school? I thought thy were English. I was taught simple algebra and geometry in 7th and 8th grade, along with every other student at my school.

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! I didn't even think about the hand that they have in deciding OUR future!!!!!:scared: :eek: :scared:

 

(My blood actually just ran cold a little! Thanks a bunch, Shamrock fan!)

 

 

Sorry for that.

 

And actually, that's one of the problems I have with voter drives. You're dragging people out to vote who weren't interested enough to do it in the first place. Add to that a lack of understanding of simple math...:creepy:

A lot of the non-voters I know around here do math very well. One more child= x ammount of extra $$$$$$ from old Uncle Sugar!!!!!!

A Nobel Science Winner is from my school district.

I wasn't taught these concepts and he was before my time.

So, I would hazard a guess that when he was in the 6th grade he wasn't being taught regtangular and triangular numbers.

And he is one that was involved in discovering DNA.

 

Sure, but no where near every student is a Nobel laureate, or will ever be one for that matter. The point being that some people are born with gifts of intellect that can't be taught, but for the rest of us we have to work at it.

 

EXACTLY!

 

For the sake of us feeling good about ourselves, we have tried to make kids come out of cookie cutters and kids are not all the same type of cookie.

 

There are young ladies and gentleman who leave HS every day who are not prepared for LIFE because they spent many hours of school learning things that they will NEVER USE IN LIFE!!!!!! and not learning things that they NEED to learn for life.

 

Did you know what you wanted to do when you were 17? I didn't have the slightest idea. Unfortunately, even if I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in science or mathematics I lacked the necessary, basic education in those subjects to do it. I can think of, maybe, one class that helped me in what I chose to do, should we scrap the rest?

 

Sure, not every student is going to college, not every student is going to be a mill worker, not every student is going to be an astro-physicists. But, every student should be able to be what they want to be. And I agree, we force-feed students college and dilute the system so much so that nearly everyone can make it through. Students should be given greater leeway in determining which classes they choose in high school, perhaps even an area of concentration (including vocational), but they should also have a strong core of all subjects. Yet, to say that a particular subject should not be taught (math) because not everyone uses it is the height of irrationality.

Do any of you ever watch those sections of TV shows when they ask the people on the streets questions like "who is the govenor" or "who is the VP"? They'll miss it by a mile and everyone laughs. It's actually fairly terrifying at how little most people know about anything that goes on in this country. Ask your co-workers which party either presidential candidate belongs to and see how many tell you "I don't know". I read somewhere that the average American citizen could not pass the test to become a naturalized American citizen!!!

I had to break up a near fight, several years ago, between two employees who were arguing as to how many states there were in the United States of America. One claimed 51 and another claimed 52.

I had to break up a near fight, several years ago, between two employees who were arguing as to how many states there were in the United States of America. One claimed 51 and another claimed 52.

 

51 if you give 'em credit for a State of Confusion.

 

52 during their obvious State of Intoxication.

Sure, but no where near every student is a Nobel laureate, or will ever be one for that matter. The point being that some people are born with gifts of intellect that can't be taught, but for the rest of us we have to work at it.

 

 

 

Did you know what you wanted to do when you were 17? I didn't have the slightest idea. Unfortunately, even if I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in science or mathematics I lacked the necessary, basic education in those subjects to do it. I can think of, maybe, one class that helped me in what I chose to do, should we scrap the rest?

 

Sure, not every student is going to college, not every student is going to be a mill worker, not every student is going to be an astro-physicists. But, every student should be able to be what they want to be. And I agree, we force-feed students college and dilute the system so much so that nearly everyone can make it through. Students should be given greater leeway in determining which classes they choose in high school, perhaps even an area of concentration (including vocational), but they should also have a strong core of all subjects. Yet, to say that a particular subject should not be taught (math) because not everyone uses it is the height of irrationality.

 

I have to give :dancingpa to this thought here!!!

Supposedly, it only takes about 50 hours for an average person to be taught basic literacy and mathematic skills. From that we could assume a less than average person would require a few more and an above average person might require a few less.

 

Our compulory system requires about 7 or 8 hours per day, on an average of 180 days per year, for 13 years. That amounts to around 16,380 hours.

 

So what's the problem?:confused:

I had to break up a near fight, several years ago, between two employees who were arguing as to how many states there were in the United States of America. One claimed 51 and another claimed 52.

 

Believe it or not, I have heard the same argument before. One of the strangest fistfights I ever saw in the army started between 2 guys arguing over if Bert and Ernie were gay. Muppets and alcohol do not mix!:lol:

Watson or Crick went to your school? I thought thy were English. I was taught simple algebra and geometry in 7th and 8th grade, along with every other student at my school.

 

Phillip A Sharp.

You can google him.

Sure, but no where near every student is a Nobel laureate, or will ever be one for that matter. The point being that some people are born with gifts of intellect that can't be taught, but for the rest of us we have to work at it.

 

 

 

Did you know what you wanted to do when you were 17? I didn't have the slightest idea. Unfortunately, even if I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in science or mathematics I lacked the necessary, basic education in those subjects to do it. I can think of, maybe, one class that helped me in what I chose to do, should we scrap the rest?

 

Sure, not every student is going to college, not every student is going to be a mill worker, not every student is going to be an astro-physicists. But, every student should be able to be what they want to be. And I agree, we force-feed students college and dilute the system so much so that nearly everyone can make it through. Students should be given greater leeway in determining which classes they choose in high school, perhaps even an area of concentration (including vocational), but they should also have a strong core of all subjects. Yet, to say that a particular subject should not be taught (math) because not everyone uses it is the height of irrationality.

First, hyperbole to suggest that I say math should not be taught.

 

It is #2 behind reading in the important things that SHOULD be taught.

 

My point is that we get so caught in trying to show how smart this country is in test scores compared to other countries that we lose sight that mathematically a bunch of kids are leaving high school everyday without the ability to function mathematically in everyday life.

 

Let me also qualify that I am a HS teacher and looking at it from a HS perspective that we get freshmen who cannot do fractions, percents, multiplication, addition, subtraction, etc, etc and we are not trying to get these kids to master these skills but rather teach them things they are not going to use. I taught matrices last year in ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. Kids can't add and I am not allowed to do addition problems with them but rather teach them matrices and convince them that this is important to them.

 

ALSO, the gifted and talented are not being given enough opportunities to really be challenged. You might only have 4-6 kids in a class that are truly gifted in math but you are not going to have a class for the higher level of thinking in the higher level of math classes for 4-6 kids while the Algebra I classes are bursting at the seams.

 

I would agree with your last paragraph except for the last sentence.

First, hyperbole to suggest that I say math should not be taught.

 

It is #2 behind reading in the important things that SHOULD be taught.

 

My point is that we get so caught in trying to show how smart this country is in test scores compared to other countries that we lose sight that mathematically a bunch of kids are leaving high school everyday without the ability to function mathematically in everyday life.

 

I think that has a lot more to do with students (read: parents) who don't value education than it does with what is being taught. A student proficient in Algebra will have no problem with arithmetic while a student proficient in Trigonometry will have no problem with Geometry, etc. You can't learn one without the other. So, again, I do not believe the culprit of ignorance to be advanced principles, but perhaps our way of educating the students overall.

 

Let me also qualify that I am a HS teacher and looking at it from a HS perspective that we get freshmen who cannot do fractions, percents, multiplication, addition, subtraction, etc, etc and we are not trying to get these kids to master these skills but rather teach them things they are not going to use. I taught matrices last year in ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. Kids can't add and I am not allowed to do addition problems with them but rather teach them matrices and convince them that this is important to them.

 

I think this is more circumstantial than it is a systemic indictment of higher math, though it is an indictment of the education system and harkens back to my earlier point. You are right, if they can't add or subtract they shouldn't be learning matrices (although, if you can't add or subtract you can't do a matrix to begin with). The education system should not advance these students to the next level, or recognize their weaknesses and work to reinforce those areas.

 

ALSO, the gifted and talented are not being given enough opportunities to really be challenged. You might only have 4-6 kids in a class that are truly gifted in math but you are not going to have a class for the higher level of thinking in the higher level of math classes for 4-6 kids while the Algebra I classes are bursting at the seams.

 

I agree.

I think that has a lot more to do with students (read: parents) who don't value education than it does with what is being taught. A student proficient in Algebra will have no problem with arithmetic while a student proficient in Trigonometry will have no problem with Geometry, etc. You can't learn one without the other. So, again, I do not believe the culprit of ignorance to be advanced principles, but perhaps our way of educating the students overall.

 

 

 

I think this is more circumstantial than it is a systemic indictment of higher math, though it is an indictment of the education system and harkens back to my earlier point. You are right, if they can't add or subtract they shouldn't be learning matrices (although, if you can't add or subtract you can't do a matrix to begin with). The education system should not advance these students to the next level, or recognize their weaknesses and work to reinforce those areas.

 

 

 

I agree.

 

 

I am 100% for pushing and prodding and challenging those students who are ready and need the challenge. G & T and the top students need to be pushed MORE!!!

 

My frustration is we are putting kids on the streets who cannot function in daily mathematics.

 

It drives me nuts that we send kids out who cannot do basic things like making change, balancing checkbooks, reading fractions to make a recipe, etc, etc, and they have spent the past 4 years in math classes that they are not going to use.

 

I have seen students who test at 3rd grade math level and we are enrolling them in algebra II as a junior or senior because that is where the state says the are required to be.

 

I don't see how I have helped that child be ready for life.

 

Trinity alum can say how horrible I am but I feel those children I am FAILING!!!! all for the sake of the state being able to say that they are being taught Algebra II when their math level is 3rd or 4th grade.

I am 100% for pushing and prodding and challenging those students who are ready and need the challenge. G & T and the top students need to be pushed MORE!!!

 

My frustration is we are putting kids on the streets who cannot function in daily mathematics.

 

It drives me nuts that we send kids out who cannot do basic things like making change, balancing checkbooks, reading fractions to make a recipe, etc, etc, and they have spent the past 4 years in math classes that they are not going to use.

 

I have seen students who test at 3rd grade math level and we are enrolling them in algebra II as a junior or senior because that is where the state says the are required to be.

 

I don't see how I have helped that child be ready for life.

 

Trinity alum can say how horrible I am but I feel those children I am FAILING!!!! all for the sake of the state being able to say that they are being taught Algebra II when their math level is 3rd or 4th grade.

 

I agree across the board. However, as I said before, it is the result of the structure and operation of our education system rather than the material. We should offer, and even demand, more advanced performance while simultaneously identifying those who are not at that level and cater curriculum to their abilities.