Comments on: Learning math too quickly http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/ Thinking and Linking by Joanne Jacobs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:51:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: Rory http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34098 Rory Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:09:11 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34098 Thanks for the link :) I do have to give the school district credit for trying, but the report was too damming to ignore. Thanks for the link :) I do have to give the school district credit for trying, but the report was too damming to ignore.

]]> By: Tracy W http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34097 Tracy W Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:35:17 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34097 <i>Besides, not everyone remembers math. Early isn’t always better. After all, what reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? Do you really think that more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus? </i> Well a) you can't tell which kids will wind up going beyond calculus. For example, one of my mates at engineering school at university had failed out of high school, done an apprenticeship as an electrician, and had eventually decided to go to university and do the degree. How could anyone have predicted that guy's path at age 12? Why not teach every kid to the best of their ability so they have as many options as possible? b) Lots of practice with alegbra over the years embeds the skill in the kid's head, making it more likelly they will use it in the future as they remember it more. Schools should educate kids based on the principle of giving them as many options for their lives as possible. If you can teach maths more efficiently and therefore teach it faster, why not do so? What's the problem with expanding kids' minds? Besides, not everyone remembers math. Early isn’t always better. After all, what reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? Do you really think that more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus?

Well
a) you can’t tell which kids will wind up going beyond calculus. For example, one of my mates at engineering school at university had failed out of high school, done an apprenticeship as an electrician, and had eventually decided to go to university and do the degree. How could anyone have predicted that guy’s path at age 12? Why not teach every kid to the best of their ability so they have as many options as possible?

b) Lots of practice with alegbra over the years embeds the skill in the kid’s head, making it more likelly they will use it in the future as they remember it more.

Schools should educate kids based on the principle of giving them as many options for their lives as possible. If you can teach maths more efficiently and therefore teach it faster, why not do so? What’s the problem with expanding kids’ minds?

]]> By: o.h. http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34096 o.h. Sun, 17 Jun 2007 13:23:50 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34096 What reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? We start algebraic concepts with our kids at the preschool level, as soon as they can count. When they hit fractions and percentages, the first thing they think to do is call the result 'x' and set up the problem to solve for x. Instead of learning separate algorithms for every area of arithmetic--"this is how you set up a percentages problem; this is how you cross-multiply"--setting up the problem correctly is intuitively obvious to them. At 11, our oldest is finishing calculus and studying linear algebra, and is earning pocket money tutoring kids in our neighborhood who attend the high-scoring local high school. I'm sure that not more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus. Heck, there's that girls' school in another post that doesn't even offer calculus. It looks to me like escaping the built-in fatalism of the educational establishment--Why would kids need that? Why learn early? Can most kids even learn math anyway?--is one of the great reasons for homeschooling. What reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? We start algebraic concepts with our kids at the preschool level, as soon as they can count. When they hit fractions and percentages, the first thing they think to do is call the result ‘x’ and set up the problem to solve for x. Instead of learning separate algorithms for every area of arithmetic–”this is how you set up a percentages problem; this is how you cross-multiply”–setting up the problem correctly is intuitively obvious to them. At 11, our oldest is finishing calculus and studying linear algebra, and is earning pocket money tutoring kids in our neighborhood who attend the high-scoring local high school.

I’m sure that not more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus. Heck, there’s that girls’ school in another post that doesn’t even offer calculus. It looks to me like escaping the built-in fatalism of the educational establishment–Why would kids need that? Why learn early? Can most kids even learn math anyway?–is one of the great reasons for homeschooling.

]]> By: Cal http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34095 Cal Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:25:01 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34095 "they in fact did teach algebra to sixth graders without dumbing it down" Maybe. But pilots aren't representative of everyone. Besides, not everyone remembers math. Early isn't always better. After all, what reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? Do you really think that more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus? Now, if the purpose of starting algebra in sixth grade was to teach it more slowly to the many students who need more than a year to internalize the concepts, that would be different. “they in fact did teach algebra to sixth graders without dumbing it down”

Maybe. But pilots aren’t representative of everyone.

Besides, not everyone remembers math. Early isn’t always better. After all, what reason is there to teach algebra to sixth graders? Do you really think that more than a fraction of all students will go beyond calculus?

Now, if the purpose of starting algebra in sixth grade was to teach it more slowly to the many students who need more than a year to internalize the concepts, that would be different.

]]> By: Cardinal Fang http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34094 Cardinal Fang Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:23:37 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34094 Both Saxon Math and Singapore Math are popular among homeschoolers and are often discussed in homeschooling circles. Saxon has the reputation of being a sound program, but demanding a lot of drill and less understanding. Parents whose kids are not naturally apt at math like Saxon, but kids who are good at math can be bored with Saxon's repetition. Singapore is more based on understanding the concepts. Students are expected to understand the fundamentals, and apply them in many different ways. Singapore has inventive, demanding problem sets. Saxon is popular with Christian fundamentalist parents, and Singapore is popular with secular homeschoolers, but both programs enjoy broad support in both groups. Both Saxon Math and Singapore Math are popular among homeschoolers and are often discussed in homeschooling circles. Saxon has the reputation of being a sound program, but demanding a lot of drill and less understanding. Parents whose kids are not naturally apt at math like Saxon, but kids who are good at math can be bored with Saxon’s repetition.

Singapore is more based on understanding the concepts. Students are expected to understand the fundamentals, and apply them in many different ways. Singapore has inventive, demanding problem sets.

Saxon is popular with Christian fundamentalist parents, and Singapore is popular with secular homeschoolers, but both programs enjoy broad support in both groups.

]]> By: J. http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34093 J. Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:40:21 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34093 <i>It’s not at all odd to wonder if you can actually teach algebra to a 6th grader without dumbing things down.</i> Our school starts teaching algebraic procedures in grade three. I am still baffled when I see students succeeding, because everyone thought we were too stupid to learn it then. Apparently thought so, I mean, since we weren't even allowed to begin Algebra until grade eight. It’s not at all odd to wonder if you can actually teach algebra to a 6th grader without dumbing things down.

Our school starts teaching algebraic procedures in grade three. I am still baffled when I see students succeeding, because everyone thought we were too stupid to learn it then. Apparently thought so, I mean, since we weren’t even allowed to begin Algebra until grade eight.

]]> By: Independent George http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34092 Independent George Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:32:49 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34092 Cal - read it again; this was the evaluation of a pilot program. They're not wondering <I>whether</I> they can teach algebra to a sixth grader without dumbing it down; they in fact <I>did</I> teach algebra to sixth graders without dumbing it down. The issue was whether they had the human capital to keep pace with their own students. Cal – read it again; this was the evaluation of a pilot program. They’re not wondering whether they can teach algebra to a sixth grader without dumbing it down; they in fact did teach algebra to sixth graders without dumbing it down. The issue was whether they had the human capital to keep pace with their own students.

]]> By: Cal http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34091 Cal Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:29:13 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34091 "It seems odd to worry about students learning too much math too quickly. " It's not at all odd to wonder if you can actually teach algebra to a 6th grader without dumbing things down. “It seems odd to worry about students learning too much math too quickly. ”

It’s not at all odd to wonder if you can actually teach algebra to a 6th grader without dumbing things down.

]]> By: Pat McGee http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34090 Pat McGee Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:46:12 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34090 Do away with Education majors and have people take academic classes. Have actual math teachers at grades lower than we do now. Pay them well. Math majors have little incentive to become teachers due to the comparatively low pay they get as teachers compared to what private businesses are willing to pay them. Do away with Education majors and have people take academic classes. Have actual math teachers at grades lower than we do now. Pay them well. Math majors have little incentive to become teachers due to the comparatively low pay they get as teachers compared to what private businesses are willing to pay them.

]]> By: Chris http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/06/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34089 Chris Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:53:46 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/06/15/learning-math-too-quickly/#comment-34089 always illuminating to substitute the word "reading" or "writing" for the word "math" when discussion comes to learning. one teacher looked at me earnestly and said there is no point in going beyond the 4th grade level for math since they'll have little to do in 5th grade. But the direction became clear upon reading back the same sentence with "no point in going beyond the 4th grade level in reading since ..." it can be a challenge to prepare for different levels of math students -- but it is a proper challenge. always illuminating to substitute the word “reading” or “writing” for the word “math” when discussion comes to learning.

one teacher looked at me earnestly and said there is no point in going beyond the 4th grade level for math since they’ll have little to do in 5th grade. But the direction became clear upon reading back the same sentence with “no point in going beyond the 4th grade level in reading since …”

it can be a challenge to prepare for different levels of math students — but it is a proper challenge.

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