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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. The War On Math

The War On Math

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  • JollyJ Jolly

    @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

    @Jolly said in The War On Math:

    You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

    Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

    We must address this at both high school and college level.

    As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

    Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

    Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

    Aqua LetiferA Offline
    Aqua LetiferA Offline
    Aqua Letifer
    wrote on last edited by
    #13

    @Jolly said in The War On Math:

    @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

    @Jolly said in The War On Math:

    You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

    Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

    We must address this at both high school and college level.

    As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

    Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

    Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

    Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

    No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

    Please love yourself.

    JollyJ LuFins DadL 2 Replies Last reply
    • JollyJ Jolly

      @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

      @Jolly said in The War On Math:

      You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

      Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

      We must address this at both high school and college level.

      As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

      Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

      Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

      Doctor PhibesD Offline
      Doctor PhibesD Offline
      Doctor Phibes
      wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
      #14

      @Jolly said in The War On Math:

      Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

      Half the population is below average intelligence.

      I was only joking

      George KG LuFins DadL KlausK 3 Replies Last reply
      • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

        @Jolly said in The War On Math:

        Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

        Half the population is below average intelligence.

        George KG Offline
        George KG Offline
        George K
        wrote on last edited by
        #15

        @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

        Half the population is below average intelligence.

        Except in Lake Wobegon.

        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

        JonJ 1 Reply Last reply
        • JollyJ Jolly

          @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

          You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

          Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

          We must address this at both high school and college level.

          As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

          Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

          Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

          MikM Offline
          MikM Offline
          Mik
          wrote on last edited by
          #16

          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

          Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

          Ahem. I am fine at all basic math. Fractions, number sets, geometry, all that. Algebra just leaves me cold. I barely passed it in high school because my father literally locked me in his bedroom until I got all the work done. It made no sense to me.

          When I was 26 and in college, I decided to take it as an elective for computer science. I was older and would apply myself more diligently. Still made no sense.

          “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

          1 Reply Last reply
          • Aqua LetiferA Aqua Letifer

            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

            @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

            You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

            Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

            We must address this at both high school and college level.

            As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

            Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

            Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

            Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

            No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

            JollyJ Offline
            JollyJ Offline
            Jolly
            wrote on last edited by
            #17

            @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

            @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

            You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

            Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

            We must address this at both high school and college level.

            As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

            Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

            Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

            Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

            No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

            Within a certain level of accomplishment, most people who don't drool when they walk can become competent.

            1. Every child used to able to write in cursive. Some are better at penmanship than others, but other people could at least read what other people wrote.
            2. Anybody above that drooling curve, can be taught to write. Not the next great American novel, but a decent letter, a thank you note or a logical set of simple instructions.
            3. Gardening? Yep, if it's important enough that you learn or go hungry, you learn.
            4. Dollars and cents? Yes, anybody above the drool factor can be taught. Willful adherence is debatable, but it's not because they can't.
            5. Musical instrument? Why do you think they invented the piano?😀

            “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

            Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

            1 Reply Last reply
            • Doctor PhibesD Offline
              Doctor PhibesD Offline
              Doctor Phibes
              wrote on last edited by
              #18

              The world’s changed a lot in the last 50 years. I’d humbly suggest what we teach and how we teach it should reflect this

              I was only joking

              Aqua LetiferA 1 Reply Last reply
              • JollyJ Offline
                JollyJ Offline
                Jolly
                wrote on last edited by
                #19

                The world has changed, but people are essentially still the same. Now, we can use new approaches and different techniques - if they can be proven to work - but basics are basics.

                “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                1 Reply Last reply
                • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

                  @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                  Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                  Half the population is below average intelligence.

                  LuFins DadL Offline
                  LuFins DadL Offline
                  LuFins Dad
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #20

                  @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                  @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                  Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                  Half the population is below average intelligence.

                  No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                  The Brad

                  AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                  • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

                    The world’s changed a lot in the last 50 years. I’d humbly suggest what we teach and how we teach it should reflect this

                    Aqua LetiferA Offline
                    Aqua LetiferA Offline
                    Aqua Letifer
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #21

                    @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                    The world’s changed a lot in the last 50 years. I’d humbly suggest what we teach and how we teach it should reflect this

                    56CEB656-FC1A-4869-B64D-0F30FE4BFBA6.jpeg

                    Which means we need to go back, not forward. Kids don't need to go all in on another damn system that's going to be obsolete in 5 years, they need to learn how to think for themselves. If you believe public school is providing that you're out of your mind.

                    Please love yourself.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • JollyJ Offline
                      JollyJ Offline
                      Jolly
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #22

                      Public school can be effective, but some things have to change. Overt politics and causes need to leave the building. Back in the dim mists of time, I couldn't have told you whether my teachers were Republicans, Democrats or Crown Loyalists.

                      I've been preaching basics this entire thread and I believe in basics done well. No good team in any sport is worth a patoot unless they have good fundamentals.

                      Excellence should be rewarded. Effort should be encouraged. Competition should be encouraged. Mediocrity should not be praised and failure should not be accepted.

                      “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                      Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                      AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                      • Aqua LetiferA Aqua Letifer

                        @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                        @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                        @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                        You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                        Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                        We must address this at both high school and college level.

                        As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                        Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                        Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                        Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                        No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                        LuFins DadL Offline
                        LuFins DadL Offline
                        LuFins Dad
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #23

                        @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                        @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                        @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                        @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                        You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                        Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                        We must address this at both high school and college level.

                        As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                        Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                        Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                        Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                        No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                        I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                        1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                        2. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students. When I was in HS, I was on the school’s JETS team (Junior Engineering and Technical Society). 8 students, 4 subject matters, 2 students per subject and each student had to cover 2 subjects. Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and English. Yes, English. The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                        Has that approach disappeared from schools these days?

                        The Brad

                        Aqua LetiferA CopperC 2 Replies Last reply
                        • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                          @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                          @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                          You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                          Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                          We must address this at both high school and college level.

                          As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                          Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                          Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                          Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                          No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                          I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                          1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                          2. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students. When I was in HS, I was on the school’s JETS team (Junior Engineering and Technical Society). 8 students, 4 subject matters, 2 students per subject and each student had to cover 2 subjects. Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and English. Yes, English. The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                          Has that approach disappeared from schools these days?

                          Aqua LetiferA Offline
                          Aqua LetiferA Offline
                          Aqua Letifer
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #24

                          @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                          @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                          @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                          @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                          You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                          Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                          We must address this at both high school and college level.

                          As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                          Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                          Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                          Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                          No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                          I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                          1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                          Geometry is essential but that's covered in math classes. Perspective, proportion, shape and form are other very important building blocks.

                          Which aren't taught because of 2 factors: "draw what you feel" has become the standard in public school art, and it's gotten that way because no parent gives a fuck. STEM or GTFO is how parents approach school curriculum.

                          1. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students.

                          Yeah well trust me it's not. The average worker out there can't imagine their way out of a paper bag.

                          The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                          Nobody, but nobody is learning that. Wanna know how I know? That's what I'm often hired to do and sadly, people think it's pointy black hat magic to be able to do so.

                          Please love yourself.

                          JollyJ AxtremusA 2 Replies Last reply
                          • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                            @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                            @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                            @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                            You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                            Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                            We must address this at both high school and college level.

                            As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                            Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                            Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                            Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                            No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                            I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                            1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                            2. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students. When I was in HS, I was on the school’s JETS team (Junior Engineering and Technical Society). 8 students, 4 subject matters, 2 students per subject and each student had to cover 2 subjects. Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and English. Yes, English. The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                            Has that approach disappeared from schools these days?

                            CopperC Offline
                            CopperC Offline
                            Copper
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #25

                            @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                            good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas

                            Everybody should be able to present their ideas on Facebook and Twitter.

                            With a minimum of words, real words, and reasonable spelling.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • Aqua LetiferA Aqua Letifer

                              @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                              @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                              @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                              @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                              @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                              You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                              Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                              We must address this at both high school and college level.

                              As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                              Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                              Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                              Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                              No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                              I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                              1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                              Geometry is essential but that's covered in math classes. Perspective, proportion, shape and form are other very important building blocks.

                              Which aren't taught because of 2 factors: "draw what you feel" has become the standard in public school art, and it's gotten that way because no parent gives a fuck. STEM or GTFO is how parents approach school curriculum.

                              1. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students.

                              Yeah well trust me it's not. The average worker out there can't imagine their way out of a paper bag.

                              The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                              Nobody, but nobody is learning that. Wanna know how I know? That's what I'm often hired to do and sadly, people think it's pointy black hat magic to be able to do so.

                              JollyJ Offline
                              JollyJ Offline
                              Jolly
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #26

                              @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                              @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                              @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                              @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                              @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                              @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                              You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                              Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                              We must address this at both high school and college level.

                              As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                              Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                              Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                              Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                              No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                              I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                              1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                              Geometry is essential but that's covered in math classes. Perspective, proportion, shape and form are other very important building blocks.

                              Which aren't taught because of 2 factors: "draw what you feel" has become the standard in public school art, and it's gotten that way because no parent gives a fuck. STEM or GTFO is how parents approach school curriculum.

                              1. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students.

                              Yeah well trust me it's not. The average worker out there can't imagine their way out of a paper bag.

                              The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                              Nobody, but nobody is learning that. Wanna know how I know? That's what I'm often hired to do and sadly, people think it's pointy black hat magic to be able to do so.

                              Then wear it with pride, lad! Wear it with pride.

                              “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                              Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                                @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                                Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                                Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                AxtremusA Offline
                                AxtremusA Offline
                                Axtremus
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #27

                                @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                "Median", people, "median."

                                HoraceH 1 Reply Last reply
                                • Aqua LetiferA Aqua Letifer

                                  @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                  @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                                  @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                                  @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                                  @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                                  You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit.

                                  Kids entering college in many STEM programs today, need at least an introductory course in calculus, in high school. That's a problem in minority schools, in small rural schools and with homeschooled kids.

                                  We must address this at both high school and college level.

                                  As for the crappy teaching of math at the lower levels, K-8, we really need to return to what works, ideology crap be damned. Memorization of time tables, basic math concepts, word problems, drlls, etc.

                                  Or you could take the kids who clearly suck at math and see what their drawing skills are. You'll catch a few more that way.

                                  Nobody should absolutely suck at math. Not up to and including high school level Algebra 1. Not if they are average intelligence.

                                  Yet it's completely acceptable for them to be absolute crap at writing, drawing, gardening, home finance, and to never play an instrument in all of their childhood.

                                  No parent in America would ever say, "okay well your Calc and AP English grades are good but what's with this B in art/creative writing/home ec/band?"

                                  I get where you’re going with this, just 2 points.

                                  1. Geometry is absolutely crucial for good visual art. Not that the art has to be perfectly geometric, in fact it shouldn’t be. But you should know the rules before you break them. Same with music and improvisation.

                                  Geometry is essential but that's covered in math classes. Perspective, proportion, shape and form are other very important building blocks.

                                  Which aren't taught because of 2 factors: "draw what you feel" has become the standard in public school art, and it's gotten that way because no parent gives a fuck. STEM or GTFO is how parents approach school curriculum.

                                  1. English and creative writing should also be an important skill for STEM students.

                                  Yeah well trust me it's not. The average worker out there can't imagine their way out of a paper bag.

                                  The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                                  Nobody, but nobody is learning that. Wanna know how I know? That's what I'm often hired to do and sadly, people think it's pointy black hat magic to be able to do so.

                                  AxtremusA Offline
                                  AxtremusA Offline
                                  Axtremus
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #28

                                  @Aqua-Letifer said in The War On Math:

                                  @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                  ...
                                  The argument was that a good engineer needed to be able to accurately present their ideas, projects, etc… in a manner that was comprehensible to non-engineers.

                                  Nobody, but nobody is learning that. Wanna know how I know? That's what I'm often hired to do and sadly, people think it's pointy black hat magic to be able to do so.

                                  Be valuable enough in the technical aspects of engineering and the employer will hire you patent lawyers and technical writers to help take care of the nontechnical aspects of engineering for you. It's simple cost optimization. Why pay an exceptional technical talent $$$$$$ an hour to write simple English while you can pay a slightly above average writer $$ an hour to write simple English? You let that $$$$$$/hr. talent focus on doing the sort of things that only that $$$$$$/hr. talent can do, offload the less economically valuable tasks to cheaper labor. Same reason to hire secretaries and personal assistants to support senior executives, same reason to hire physician's assistants to support doctors.

                                  It's the $$$/hr. technical talents (and these happen to be the majority) who need to also be good at communications.

                                  LuFins DadL 1 Reply Last reply
                                  • JollyJ Jolly

                                    Public school can be effective, but some things have to change. Overt politics and causes need to leave the building. Back in the dim mists of time, I couldn't have told you whether my teachers were Republicans, Democrats or Crown Loyalists.

                                    I've been preaching basics this entire thread and I believe in basics done well. No good team in any sport is worth a patoot unless they have good fundamentals.

                                    Excellence should be rewarded. Effort should be encouraged. Competition should be encouraged. Mediocrity should not be praised and failure should not be accepted.

                                    AxtremusA Offline
                                    AxtremusA Offline
                                    Axtremus
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #29

                                    @Jolly said in The War On Math:

                                    Excellence should be rewarded. Effort should be encouraged. Competition should be encouraged. Mediocrity should not be praised and failure should not be accepted.

                                    +1

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • AxtremusA Axtremus

                                      @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                      @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                      Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                      No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                      "Median", people, "median."

                                      HoraceH Offline
                                      HoraceH Offline
                                      Horace
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #30

                                      @Axtremus said in The War On Math:

                                      @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                      @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                      Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                      No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                      "Median", people, "median."

                                      Median is the mean in a normal distribution.

                                      Education is extremely important.

                                      AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • HoraceH Horace

                                        @Axtremus said in The War On Math:

                                        @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                        @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                        Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                        No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                        "Median", people, "median."

                                        Median is the mean in a normal distribution.

                                        AxtremusA Offline
                                        AxtremusA Offline
                                        Axtremus
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #31

                                        @Horace said in The War On Math:

                                        @Axtremus said in The War On Math:

                                        @LuFins-Dad said in The War On Math:

                                        @Doctor-Phibes said in The War On Math:

                                        Half the population is below average intelligence.

                                        No, half the population is below mean intelligence.

                                        "Median", people, "median."

                                        Median is the mean in a normal distribution.

                                        The mean is not necessarily the median in other distributions that are not a normal distribution. "Median" works for all distributions, "mean" works only for some distributions.

                                        HoraceH 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • Doctor PhibesD Offline
                                          Doctor PhibesD Offline
                                          Doctor Phibes
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #32

                                          Fucking hell.

                                          I'm beginning to see why so many managers are British.

                                          I was only joking

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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