We don't need no stinkin' math...

robeiae
Thaumaturge

On a down bound train

Posts: 6,692

We don't need no stinkin' math... Apr 23, 2021 13:20:26 GMT -5

Post by robeiae on Apr 23, 2021 13:20:26 GMT -5

It just wasn't all that long ago when the US public education system was under fire--as much from liberal sources as conservative (if not more)--for failing to keep pace with the rest of the advanced countries. Now? Fuck it: www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-accelerated-math-courses-equity

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is moving to eliminate all accelerated math options prior to 11th grade, effectively keeping higher-achieving students from advancing as they usually would in the school system.

Loudoun County school board member Ian Serotkin posted about the change via Facebook on Tuesday. According to Serotkin, he learned of the change the night prior during a briefing from staff on the Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI).

[snip]

Committee member Ian Shenk, who focused on grades 8-10, said: "Let me be totally clear, we are talking about taking Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 – those three courses that we've known and loved ... and removing them from our high school mathematics program, replacing them with essential concepts for grade eight, nine, and 10."

He added that the concepts courses wouldn't eliminate algebraic ideas but rather interweave multiple strands of mathematics throughout the courses. Those included data analysis, mathematical modeling, functions and algebra, spatial reasoning and probability.

Last Edit: Apr 23, 2021 13:20:39 GMT -5 by robeiae

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Vince524 Illuminati Eating bacon Posts: 2,009	We don't need no stinkin' math... Apr 23, 2021 21:20:16 GMT -5 Post by Vince524 on Apr 23, 2021 21:20:16 GMT -5 If I were president, I'd make an executive order that the legal answer to any mathematical question should be 8. It's the perfect number. The exception would be a statistics question. Then, naturally, it would be 8%. I stand by this.
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prozyan
Cognoscente

Posts: 666

We don't need no stinkin' math... Apr 23, 2021 21:32:45 GMT -5

Post by prozyan on Apr 23, 2021 21:32:45 GMT -5

When I read the headline of the article, I too was thinking we are leading the race toward mediocrity. But there was snippets in the article that made me pause and consider this might not be a bad idea. Such as:

Committee member Ian Shenk, who focused on grades 8-10, said: "Let me be totally clear, we are talking about taking Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 – those three courses that we've known and loved ... and removing them from our high school mathematics program, replacing them with essential concepts for grade eight, nine, and 10."

He added that the concepts courses wouldn't eliminate algebraic ideas but rather interweave multiple strands of mathematics throughout the courses. Those included data analysis, mathematical modeling, functions and algebra, spatial reasoning and probability.

and:

"For many years, parents and the system have valued and rewarded speed via acceleration and 'covering content' rather than depth of understanding. The Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative shifts to a focus on and value for deeper learning through differentiated instruction on grade level that will promote student development of critical thinking, authentic application and problem solving skills," Pyle said.

and:

"Shifting to deeper learning through differentiated instruction, implementation of VMPI will promote student development of critical thinking, authentic application and problem solving skills."

My daughter is an absolute rock star student. She's finishing her sophomore year in high school this year, is taking senior level courses in science and mathematics and, with summer courses, will complete an associates degree from the local NMSU branch. I agree with the above statement that advanced courses are often focused on "covering content" rather than depth of understanding and if these changes are an attempt to remedy that I'm all for it.

That being said, the term "equality" is coming up far too often for me to be comfortable. It strikes me as a veiled attempt to even out the academic accomplishments across social and cultural lines by way of lowering the performance of the over-performing rather than improving the performance of the under-performing.

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Optimus
Illuminati

Posts: 2,508

We don't need no stinkin' math... Apr 24, 2021 13:13:09 GMT -5 prozyan likes this

Post by Optimus on Apr 24, 2021 13:13:09 GMT -5

Don't know much about the detail, but if this part is accurate...

He added that the concepts courses wouldn't eliminate algebraic ideas but rather interweave multiple strands of mathematics throughout the courses. Those included data analysis, mathematical modeling, functions and algebra, spatial reasoning and probability.

Then that's a good move, imo. Having a deep understanding of geometry and advanced algebra will not help 99% of people throughout life, no matter their career fields. However, having a deeper understanding of data analysis, probability, and spatial reasoning would, I feel, greatly increase people's everyday understanding of the world around them and increase the collective amount of critical thinking going on, at least in the US. Mathematical modeling is also a good skill to have that's currently not taught at the high school level in most schools, so I think teaching that's a good idea too.

I took a course in undergrad called, "Calculus for business, management, and social sciences." In my career, I have been a corporate manager, run several businesses, and now do social science research. I have never used calculus at all. That course was both a total waste of my time and a waste of my brain power. It wasn't until I switched majors that I took a stats course, which was immensely more useful (both in my current career and in life) than any math class I've taken since 10th grade.

In terms of algebra and geometry, I've never used anything more advanced than very basic-level operations in any of my careers. Taking algebra II in high school was a complete waste of my time. I hardly remember anything from geometry because I haven't used it since 8th or 9th grade.

I do recognize the need to expose kids to more advanced maths but that can be done more effectively in a more interleaved/interwoven approach that doesn't require the kids to waste an entire year taking one class on a subject they'll hardly use for the rest of their lives, just to expose them to the more advanced concepts that are only covered in one or two chapters from those courses anyway. The kids who choose to pursue careers that require advanced knowledge in those areas would wind up taking them over again in university anyway (unless they can test out of them).

So, just based on my limited understanding of what they're doing in Virginia, I think this might actually be a step in the right direction.

Last Edit: Apr 24, 2021 15:27:02 GMT -5 by Optimus

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Post by robeiae on Apr 23, 2021 13:20:26 GMT -5

Post by Vince524 on Apr 23, 2021 21:20:16 GMT -5

Post by prozyan on Apr 23, 2021 21:32:45 GMT -5

Post by Optimus on Apr 24, 2021 13:13:09 GMT -5