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Kenny Felder
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Kenny Felder submitted a new PF Insights post
Math and the Obvious
Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
Math and the Obvious
Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
Should "Mom and Dad" turn off the tube and attend school board meetings? Yes.snowman_ said:the jab at elementary teachers was very uncalled for
...Bystander said:Should "Mom and Dad" turn off the tube and attend school board meetings? Yes.
Should kids be held a little more accountable? Yes.
Are there motivated, competent teachers out there? Yes.
Are teachers as a group motivated and competent?
symbolipoint said:...
They (those teachers) are over-worked.
Some kids take longer to reach the stage that some things in arithmetic or algebra become obvious. What I saw as a student, was that there were several SMART kids who had trouble with what is obvious.
snowman_ said:MidgetDwarf, even if you work full-time, if you care about your child's education then you'll take part in it...there are more than 40-50 hours in a week. You don't need a tutoring service to help your child with their math/reading homework. A lot of people just have poor time management skills and then blame it on teachers. You get out of education what you put into it. Teachers go above and beyond a 40 hour week with many working beyond the "clock" with no compensation. In districts with very little money the teachers are even expected to buy all the school supplies for the students...when you get paid so little it's rough buying 30 composition notebooks, folders, pens and pencils etc.. It's insulting to imply that teachers don't put all their effort into their job...I've met very few teachers who are that lazy, many are incredibly passionate and put in an extreme amount of effort.
In my experience it's not that the parents are too busy, many simply don't get a crap...you get a lot of kids living with their grandparents (because parents ditched out) who most of the time participate very little in the child's education.
Also if you get a degree in elementary education you actually do have to take a math class which explains all the "whys" behind things...it also covers math topics at a very intuitive level, definitely not memorization or "do this because that's the way we do it".
Just because you know a handful of slackers doesn't mean that elementary education in general is like that. The teacher is the last thing in the chain of issues that is a child's early education...the administration policies (which includes stricter hiring policies), parent involvement, and district funding are much bigger issues.
I unfortunately did not have my parents help whatsoever in my primary education. I was at risk of repeating every grade from 6th to 12th, early on it was because my parents were too busy doing things that they shouldn't and then later on it was due to poor habits I had developed. If anything I speak from experience seeing what happens with lack of parent involvement.MidgetDwarf said:You cannot just isolate one factor or factors. Rather, you have to look at the picture as the whole. It is a chicken and egg argument. Improving textbooks and getting them into the hands of younger students is a must. Look at what the Soviet Union did. (lets not get into the whole civil rights violations argument).
Truth be told. A lot of people do not care about others if it does not effect them directly. Not that they should. It is the sad reality in which we live.
snowman_ said:I unfortunately did not have my parents help whatsoever in my primary education. I was at risk of repeating every grade from 6th to 12th, early on it was because my parents were too busy doing things that they shouldn't and then later on it was due to poor habits I had developed. If anything I speak from experience seeing what happens with lack of parent involvement.
Ok, so parents can't read...then why the hell are they having kids if they can't help facilitate an education? So maybe parents aren't to blame, but why the heck are we placing the blame with the teachers?
The fault is definitely not with the kids...it's with the parents who brought them into this world when they are unable to fully provide for their children along with other factors. As for the teachers working over 40 hours, it's about every school in my district (not a well off district) that has plenty of teachers doing so.
I bolded what I did because my point was specifically that there are multiple things at play and the teacher is the least of our concerns. The kids are only with the teacher a few hours each day. I don't care to derail this thread, but I just wanted to point out how stupid the comment on elementary teachers was in the article. If anything it distracts from real issues.
btw I appreciate the polite reply.
I agree with what you're saying. The article however specifically called out the teachers as a main issue, not the school in general. From the article "For the most part, I blame their elementary school teachers. " That's what I was commenting on, I do realize the school system is far less than ideal...I just think it's silly to partially single out teachers as the problem.MidgetDwarf said:It has been proven that American education is a joke. So the schools are a major contributor to lack of student success, but not the sole factor. Are you aware that most schools do not even textbooks that children can take home and look at? Even if they did have textbooks, the books are of such low quality. No major mathematics is done at a young age compared to other nations. Even developing nations have a stronger educational system than the US.
Are you an educator or have family members that are? You are also aware, that unlike other nations, such as: Japan, Sweeden, Denmark, China, Costa Rica etc. are homogenous populations. Race is also a contributing factor in America.
Are you American? Not naturalized American but actually born and raised in the US.
Is it any wonder that they come out thinking math is pointless and boring?
A part I especially like. Knowing that, a student can feel "one up" on the subject. Other tiny tidbits placed in strategic locations surely should, I think, make the student feel being let in on little secrets ( and what student doesn't like secrets, which they will remember better than the main textual explanations ) of math, or any subject matter.The simplest explanation I know is this picture:
Studying math is important for several reasons. It teaches critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are applicable in many areas of life. Math also helps develop logical reasoning and analytical skills, which are useful in fields such as science, finance, and engineering. Additionally, math is the foundation of many other subjects, including physics, computer science, and economics.
Math and the obvious may seem like unrelated concepts, but in reality, math can help us understand and make sense of the world around us. Many natural phenomena, such as the growth of plants or the movement of objects, can be explained and predicted using mathematical principles. Math also helps us make sense of data and statistics, which are used to draw conclusions about the world.
Yes, everyone has the ability to learn math. While some people may find it easier or more enjoyable than others, with practice and determination, anyone can improve their math skills. It is important to find a learning style and approach that works best for you in order to be successful in math.
Math is used in many everyday tasks, such as budgeting, cooking, and measuring. It also helps us make informed decisions by analyzing data and understanding probabilities. Additionally, math can help us understand and solve real-world problems, such as calculating the best deal at the grocery store or determining the amount of paint needed to cover a wall.
Intuition, or the ability to understand something instinctively, can play a role in math. While math is based on logic and rules, intuition can help guide problem-solving and make connections between different concepts. However, it is important to also use logical reasoning and evidence to support mathematical conclusions.