That problem with maths again!
March 10th 2008 04:41
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From Dallas, Texas, and I don't say I agree with it but I know many will relate to it, Mary Natho writes for the Dallas.news.com:
In case you missed it, our State Board of Education now requires four years of math to graduate public high school. But forcing students with little or no math talent into additional years seems downright cruel. Counselors who give all those tests should know who will be math whizzes and who will not. Logic says steer some into the wondrous world of math, but have mercy on the rest!
Mercy would be to offer substantive replacement subjects, since some number-deficients do well in their other classes. A curriculum chief in Richardson schools said recently that teachers are already visiting Austin pointing out the decision's wrinkles.
What of the student born with a brain full of music and poetry, but little number sense? What if inborn instincts implore another toward inventions or mending broken contraptions for the rest of us, yet he or she cannot figure square roots or integers? We all have differences.
Does it matter if Shakespeare or Rembrandt could invert a fraction? Who knows or cares if Pavarotti or even George Washington, the father of our country, made heads or tails of math above the seventh grade? Yet the math-impaired keep hearing, "You could do that if you'd try harder."
Trying harder is not always the problem. But damage to one's self-esteem may never be repaired.
I speak not as an educator, but as one of those who lived the teenage horror of algebra and geometry without knowing what was wrong. I was neither lazy nor a moron. I'm thinking some adults recall their own differences while now parenting youngsters with attention deficit disorder. Don't forget right brain/left brain theories and DNA. Embarrassment is being in a class full of math snobs, like Betty across the aisle, who announced to the class your dismal test score.
ADD wasn't even recognized until about 1980, when Dr. Lynn Weiss began writing and talking about it on Dallas radio. And who can say today whether ADD has anything to do with this issue. Now, a term appearing in some scientific journals is dyscalculia, the inability to do math.
Surely students going into trade schools need some math. Some. But four years? If the four-year rule had been in effect in my high school days, I'd still be there standing in penny loafers clawing at the window to get out.
Brilliant engineers and geologists cannot always produce good business letters or readable reports. They might hire a journalist who couldn't do math, while a musician teaches the engineer's child to play an instrument.
This isn't watering down education. It is admitting high math is possibly unnecessary and a waste of time, unless your chosen career calls for it. Some math failures go on to write scripts, play in a symphony or become dedicated teachers. Artists, attorneys, counselors and athletic coaches may have hated algebra and geometry.
A recent news item said Texas A&M was considering loosening math requirements for some majors. There is just as much music in the world as math. Yet not everyone can sing on pitch. Would a school actually force a tone-deaf student into music classes for graduation? Continuing such measures risks more dropouts. It fosters excessive stress, depression, possibly teen suicides and perhaps violent retaliations at a school.
What if math snobs were not graduated until each could fix a car engine, repair a table lamp, build a house from the ground up or sight-read a song on a musical instrument?
katyzzz comment: Some maths is almost essential, a bit more is better and I think, that, for some, a bit more effort is required.
This was never a problem for me, and most managed to do maths at a higher level than is required nowadays, when a lot of maths courses are ridiculously easy.
I'm not saying she does not raise some valid points, but the fact is there are too many opting out of education when it's almost only just begun.
Far too few are coming anywhere near being able to think for themselves and that includes University graduates too, far too many of whom have an inflated idea of their own abilities.
What do you think?
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Comment by Lara M
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Comment by Louie
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at least 1 1= 2 ..ok maybe not
Comment by tlcorbin
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But most could try a lot harder than they do, but I do feel sorry for those who have a serious problem but there really are very few of those, it just gives the others not a very sustainable excuse.
Well done.
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
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For the quadratic function:
f (x) = x2 - x - 2 (x 1) of a real variable x, the coordinates of the points where the graph intersects the x-axis, f (x) = x2 - x - 2 = (x 1)(x - 2) of a real variable x, the x = -1 and x =2, the roots of the quadratic equation: x2 - x - 2 = 0
I agree - it's not everyone's cuppa tea.
If you can work out your finances. family budget, and enough to get by so as not to be ripped off by the banks - then you're doin' alright
Cheers
MNG
Comment by tlcorbin
You really know how to attract the wierdo's katyzzz, but I love it, I am no longer the strangest duck on the pond. Raven
Comment by katyzzz
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I'm glad you dealt with my secret admirer.
I'll be back when I have a chance to answer all other comments including yours.
Raven have you ever suffered from road rage, run the bastards over I believe is the correct terminology.
Comment by katyzzz
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Knowledge is never wasted. But it is lovely to see you Lara, your presence on Orble is sadly missed, maths or no maths.
Louie, maybe advance up from 1,1,2 to 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 ,let’s start at the very beginning, but , of course, if you want to stick to computer talk a string of 0s and 1s should do you, but if you want to do well in business you’ll need a bit of maths.
I love maths, and especially the hard stuff which I generally find quite easy, but, as in everything there are areas which don’t quite click, and those require some effort.
Mind you I don’t get to do much hard maths now, but at least I have done it.
One day people will wake up that they need to think not just perform, and that is something we’d all do well to keep in mind.
Just talking generally, Louie, not directed at you, but with the right help and training with a bit of maturity many who have written themselves off this way could be surprised at what they can now manage to do, that is if the motivation is right.
So many just do things because someone else thinks they should, like banks and the Government, this takes the power from the people, sadly.
Raven I think we are on the same wave length,
Crystal, I think you’ve got it too.
Raven again, well said, well done.
Until the next post then, do you think I’ve joined the ducks on the pond, sounds deliciously cool and great on a wet day, don’t you think?
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excusereason, isn't there?Comment by Miswanderlust
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