Should Maths be taught in School ????

[smokey the elder]

(asbestos suit on) I blame No Child Left Behind, a good idea that had horrendous unintended consequences. The extreme example of this is the Georgia cheating scandal, where the teachers actually altered the answers on standardized tests.

As far as math instruction goes, IMO there is no substitute for the practice/drills that used to be done in elementary school. Math is at the root of all scientific disciplines, as well as accounting and economics. Did you know that compound interest calculation is actually what is called a "differential equation", which is quite advanced math?

(asbestos suit retired.)

[mrspunkysmom]

Sadly, I've never explored the compound interest formula that far, having only one course in DE in college.

[mrspunkysmom]

(asbestos suit on)

As far as math instruction goes, IMO there is no substitute for the practice/drills that used to be done in elementary school. Math is at the root of all scientific disciplines, as well as accounting and economics.

(asbestos suit retired.)

Yes, and the reason these students do not do as well later in math is that the drills are no longer required. It is considered beneath our students and a waste of time.

[Lady's Human]

SO you do the drills at home. (RIght MJ and Axel?)

[wombat2u2004]

I don't know what it's like in the USA, but last year was my daughters final year at school and the maths that she did were beyond me. Most entry requirements for university include a pass in maths.

[mrspunkysmom]

I don't know what it's like in the USA, but last year was my daughters final year at school and the maths that she did were beyond me. Most entry requirements for university include a pass in maths.

Successful school districts have standards.

The real problem is that it is THE USA. We believe that anyone can grow up to be anything they want. And so we try to educate everyone to be a rocket scientist and have difficulty telling someone they can't. Career interests are not explored until half way into the high school years in some school districts.

And there seems to be a sense of entitlement these days. I'm supposed to give them the grade and not make them earn it.

[Lady's Human]

Most irritating story about math education goes to NYC. A couple days ago there was an article on education in NYC, and one school was unable to teach algebra because they didn't have the money to buy graphing calculators.

[mrspunkysmom]

Edit: After re-reading your post, I realize that the sad part is that these educator have gotten stuck in a tech rut and were probably relying on the calculator to help them teach. Done with Edit

Graphing calculators are not necessary to learn algebra. I learned Algebra using pencil paper, graph paper, and my brain.

They are nice, but not necessary. We have become lazy.

The other side of this coin - Who is responsible for the purchase of the calculators? The students will use these all four years of high school and beyond. Shouldn't they purchase or rent the calculator? I bought all of my calculators in college and they were not cheap then either. Although my calculators were used for a backup not the primary calculations.

Again we are back to entitlement and we have become lazy.

[mrspunkysmom]

SO you do the drills at home. (RIght MJ and Axel?)

It depends on the family. Most just use a calculator.