"They still need to keep their options open. Consider that a Master Plumber in Texas
needs to have a GED, but is required to perform "trade-related math and simple physics";
electricians (particularly industrial electricians) are required to use trig on a
regular basis when dividing 3 phase, 3 and 4 wire circuits. Forget college bound -
what you're teaching is important to darn near everyone who wants to earn more than a
subsistence wage."
Let me preface my comments with I LOVE MATH. IMO math is very important to everyone
because of the logic and problem solving skills it builds if not for the direct
application of the math concepts and algorithms themselves.
Now I will play devil's advocate. The fact is that most of the people in our society
seldom or ever use math above basic arithmetic. Paying bills, buying most items,
maintaining a bank account, and completing most jobs on a daily basis seldom need anything
beyond basic arithmetic. I'll be honest, when my kids ask me, "Why do we need to know
this stuff," I talk the company line, but in reality I have a hard time justifying a lot
of it myself. When was the last time the average Joe had to know the difference between
an isosceles triangle and an acute scalene triangle? When was the last time a regular Joe
had to calculate the volume of an ice cube tray or the volume of water in the swimming
pool he is having built? When was the last time the average Joe had to use integers to
calculate the distance between a bird flying overhead and a submarine under the ocean?
When was the last time the average Joe had to transform a figure from one quadrant to
another? When was the last time the average Joe had to use ratios, proportions, and scale
factors to figure out the width of a photo if enlarged from an 8x10 to one with a length
of 30 inches?
The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of people functioning just fine in this
world who can't do math beyond a fifth or sixth grade level. Heck, talk to most of the
teachers and administrators in your campus and they will tell you they haven't used this
stuff since they left school. Talk to people on the streets in all walks of life and see
what they say. I have decided to make this a summer project of mine. I am going to ask
everyone I meet if looking back they think their math education was important to them and
if so, what pieces of it do they use in their daily lives today. It will be interesting
to hear the responses.
Yes there are professions that need subsets of knowledge beyond basic math and there needs
to be a means for students to get that knowledge. On the other hand, for every profession
requiring a particular need, I can probably find one that does not. To pigeonhole every
child into a college bound curriculum when we know they will likely not go is not a very
good use of resources. It doesn't have to be an all or none choice, I think we need to
look for something in the middle.
I am a huge proponent of Magnet school's and vocational curricula. A guy who wants to be
a plumber or an electrician or a nurse or a thespian can learn math and other subjects to
the level needed and in a context related to their interests. Note that I do think there
should be a basic level of competence achieved in every core subject. And I am not here
to suggest that I know what that minimum level of competency should be. But I am pretty
comfortable in saying that I believe Algebra II and Geometry are way more than most people
will need. A math course more geared towards vocational careers or other career goals
would, I believe, better serve the overall populous. We can talk about NCLB and all kids
being prepared to go to college, but the reality is the kids, the teachers, the
administrators, and most parents know which kiddos will most likely go to college and
which will not.
Again, I am talking in generalities here and am not prepared to draw any particular lines
in the sand. But I truly believe we have to offer our kids something besides what we are
giving them today.
I believe students should be required to take more arts and humanities. Every child should
learn to play an instrument. Every child should learn how to be a leader. Every child
should learn how to take care of day to day activities in life. Every child should be
required to learn a foreign language (I am happy to say we are headed that direction).
Every child should learn to be a decent human being. So what do we do? A student
struggles in math or reading so we take away all of their electives and put them into 2
math and 2 reading classes each day. They get more discouraged, more upset, and more
frustrated each day. They get to high school and say "The heck with it, I'm out of here."
Why not give them a more rounded education in hopes of finding a hidden talent or
interest and provide them with a language arts and math curriculum to meet their needs?
One doesn't need to know how to analyze Shakespeare to read technical papers and manuals.
One doesn't need to know how to bisect an angle with a compass to fix a car or fill out a
tax return. So why do we think every child needs to be able to do these things to be
successful?
We live in a society of choice. Yet we don't think students and parents should have any
choice in what is taught in school. I am in favor of a cafeteria style approach to
education. In my world, there will be many parallel paths all leading to a high school
diploma. Each will be supported with a basic education of readin, writin, and rithmetic
at some level. Beyond these basics students and parents will be allowed to choose the
path of their choice. There will be ways to cross paths if one changes his/her mind, but
there may be the need to take additional courses at cost to make up any gaps created.
Students will leave high school with a diploma that means something to themselves,
colleges, vocational schools, and potential employers. I think we can do a whole lot
better than we are doing today.
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