tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post4051983745489761939..comments2023-09-09T08:21:55.454-04:00Comments on MathNotations: Another Response to a DI ProponentDave Marainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13321770881353644307noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-54579211858831653172007-03-01T19:02:00.000-05:002007-03-01T19:02:00.000-05:00Ken--It is my responsibility to deliver the curric...Ken--<BR/>It is my responsibility to deliver the curriculum I was hired to teach. Since there is considerable diagreement about what skills and concepts should be covered in each course this becomes problematic at best. Every year, Rutgers University hosts a "Good Ideas in Teaching Precalculus" workshop in March. Every year, teachers continue to argue about what topics should be included in this curriculum. What's wrong with this picture! Despite your comments, there is still no general consensus that the role of the math teachers is to deliver a technical curriculum to prepare students to solve engineering and physics problems, if I caught your drift. There is still a pure theoretical side to mathematics that has a place in our instruction as well. Some of the greatest discoveries in math came from the theoretical mathematicians who didn't give a **** about whether their theories about abelian groups had any practical value. Turns out they did...<BR/>This is not a black and white proble,m but it is one we must grapple with and resolve.Dave Marainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13321770881353644307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-35124012649886949312007-02-28T14:04:00.000-05:002007-02-28T14:04:00.000-05:00Who are the real victims in this war?These student...<I>Who are the real victims in this war?</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://learningcurves.blogspot.com/2007/02/pythagorean-theorem-shouldnt-be-that.html" REL="nofollow">These students</A>.<BR/><BR/><I>I'll bet you could decide what mathematics children need</I><BR/><BR/>The mathematics they need are the skills to solve college level problems like <A HREF="http://d-edreckoning.blogspot.com/2006/09/real-world-physics-problems.html" REL="nofollow">this</A>.<BR/><BR/>The math skills needed to solve this problem are the math skills that will be repeatedly called upon for any student wishing to pursue a career in a math/science/engineering field.<BR/><BR/>The problem requires nothing more than the application of high school level math and the distance formula. There's no time to reteach these skills in college. The student must know them well enough by the end of high school to apply them to solve problems.<BR/><BR/>It is the responsibility of K-12 schools to get their students to this level. It is as simple as that.KDeRosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-73508088095102183562007-02-22T16:43:00.000-05:002007-02-22T16:43:00.000-05:00dickey45--oh you are so right! now disband all of ...dickey45--<BR/>oh you are so right! now disband all of the committees of experts, start over again with a group of non-extremists who can make a reasoned judgment based on a world-class curriculum. dickey45, i'll bet you could decide what mathematics children need! Some individual has to take charge and end these 'wars' and make a decision. Get on with it and get over it. Who are the real victims in this war?<BR/>In the absence of clearly defined goals and in the absence of statements of mastery of a basic fund of knowledge by NCTM, there has been an extreme backlash. This needs to be repaired ASAP by those who see the benefits of both sides and who understand what underlying skills and principles must be stressed at each grade level. Let's form a National Math Teacher Panel. You want to be CEO?Dave Marainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13321770881353644307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-90888292401251855582007-02-22T11:58:00.000-05:002007-02-22T11:58:00.000-05:00"HOWEVER, AS I’VE STATED REPEATEDLY, THERE ISN’T R..."HOWEVER, AS I’VE STATED REPEATEDLY, THERE ISN’T ROOM FOR DIFFERENT ESSENTIAL CONTENT IN MATHEMATICS. THE CORE MUST BE STANDARD."<BR/><BR/>That is why we are in a pickle as to how to create standards that lead to assessments. The standards and curriculum are very much a part of each other. If a state (such as Oregon) has very developmental/experiential/discovery based standards, then they will pick curriculum such as Everyday math. If the state has standards that are traditional, then they will use curriculum such as Saxon or Singapore or Connecting Math Concepts by SRA (not to be mistaken with Connected Math).<BR/><BR/>In my opinion, it's all in the standards, baby.harriska2https://www.blogger.com/profile/17226608221340271931noreply@blogger.com