Re: Don't Call It "Algebra"; Call It Something Warm And Fuzzy

In article <l7ak74pmuogf13ieglu6v1gksmvb92lrgc@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Bob LeChevalier  <lojbab@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>hrubin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Herman Rubin) wrote:
>>>Because this is what has been taught, and this is what a student is
expected 
>>>to knwo.

>>And this is NOT what should be taught.

>That is what the state standards expect him to know.  If you don't
>teach it, you get fired.

We are having considerable discussion on the effect of
this kind of state standard.  We cannot have good education
if the educationists, who ONLY know memorization and routine,
make up the tests.  

>>>So how would you grade a student who uses outstanfing toechnique to
rpesent 
>>>linear eq. in point-slope form when the question alled for the 
>>>slope-intercept form?

>>>Did he just not follow instructions, and shouldn;t that be punished?

>>I would be unlikely to ask the question.

>The state test will ask the question, and you as the teacher will be
>blamed if he cannot solve it in the required manner.

I repeat what I have said above.  There even are may 
teachers who complain about the students not learning
what is im****tant because of teaching to the test.
This continues in college, and the colleges are not
willing to back up their professors who would teach
the more im****tant parts.

>>I am not even sure
>>that I would give such, except as how to normalize the equation
>>of a line for certain purposes, and leave it at that.  Memorizing
>>trivia is not that im****tant.

>It is, when the state tests ask questions about trivia.  Which they
>do.

How many times have I said that the only way the public
schools can be improved is to have affordable private schools,
however it is done?

One can destroy the quality of a school quickly.  It is a major
problem to even improve it, let alone restore it.  Until we
have the attitude that a school should educate each student 
as if he or she were the only student, and there were no such
things as being in certain grades, we can only have the present
bad turnout from the high schools, the universities, and even
the graduate schools.

>>Look at the above.  It is a matter of normalization of the
>>equation of a line and nothing more.  The rule of equality
>>covers this quite well.

>>>Further complicating the decision is a certaintity that just becaue he
could 
>>>do the problem correctly ont he board yesterday does not mean he could
do it 
>>>today.

>>STOP concentrating on memorization and routine.  Minimize them.

>Memorization and routine lead to automatization, which is required on
>a timed test.

You continue to stress the trivia.  You seem unable to tell
the difference between education and training; memorization
and routine is training.  This destroys the ability to be
educated later.  Education gives the ability to use the 
concepts, and reconstruct the methodology when needed.
-- 
This address is for information only.  I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
         Phone: (765)494-6054   FAX: (765)494-0558