School Talk

math

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I remember my sixth grade teacher (circa1964) saying that mathematics was the biggest contributor as to why some children dropout out of school. As I reflect on his comments; those words didn't scare me or really have any real impact, and I can't explain why. But as I learn in speaking to a fraction of the persons I know personally who left school early "boy I couldn't hang with that math" is sort of like the mantra I've come to remember. As a result of kids dropping out of school, the consequences grow immensely. What the ex-engineer is doing is something that could result in such an impact in preventing future dropouts that this in my opinion warrants a "60 Minutes" segment. I say this because if math is a precipitating factor in kids leaving school prematurely, ( and I want to agree)then the effort should be in place in trying to develope more of a fundamental approach in making the curriculum easier. I also remember a prof saying that math majors make good lawyers because of the analytic qualities needed. Reading this article in my opinion proves my ex-sixth grade teacher correct I believe, and the ex-engineer I believe to has found a solution.

Engineer helps son learn math by improving the textbook method

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Great job. All Michigan students need more caring parents to push the State Board of Education and their local School Boards to examine the lack of common sense in our Graduation Requirements and teaching methodologies.

For example, the Requirement that All students should learn Algebra II in order to graduate from high school is Almost as Bad as Obama's Free Health Care for Aliens. Think about it:

Less than 5% of All jobs need Alg. II to perform. Also, I haven't found a student in 30 years who could properly make change. Teaching students how to properly manage a bank account, utilize a credit, buy a house and appliances are NOT required when Everyone in our Society needs to know that information. Why Not?

A: Because the pin heads who decide our children's curriculum assume Every child should go to College instead of helping Every Child to learn an education that will enable them to perform the basic economic and social functions of our culture.

Take an example from this wise engineer who truly devised a method to Help children learn mathematics instead of ASSUMMING the School was teaching his son mathematics and letting him fail where he Now Suceeds.