dumbed-down schools

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

i've heard that a problem in schools today is that teachers are "teaching the test" for the purpose of helping the students pass standardized tests which may not be the same thing as teaching them to actually learn and understand the material and use it in real life questions.


Yesterday I was talking to an 8th grader, 13 years old, who is passing math. He hasn't failed a math class in years, if ever.

He couldn't figure out, in his head, what each of 3 identical items cost if together the bill came to $100.

When that stumped him, I suggested that he consider the final bill to be only $99 rather than 100. I reminded him that that would make the division come out even.

Nope. He guessed "30" but then immediately retracted his answer when he tested that figure and reslized 30 x 3 is only 90. A little too low.

So I gave him the answer of 33, and I challenged him to a different question:
this time involving four (4) items all equally priced
where the total bill added up to $100.

Nope. He didn't have a clue. He couldn't multiply anything by four in his head. That requires paper and pencil.
Or a calculator.
Or "Google it."


In a few years this kid will be a high school graduate, entering the workfore, with what is for all practical purposes a 4th grade education.

 

[Kahrnut]

Goesintas are important skills.

 

[StuP]

The whole system is suspect. There are skilled and conscientious people in the system, but the politics, money and political correctness have hit actually teaching anything, pretty hard.

 

[Joshua223]

I did pretty good in math until we started dealing with calculus and "imaginary" numbers in high school.
If that kid can't figure out how to 100÷3 then either he can't apply math to real situations or his school math program stinks.

 

[Grdbreaker]

As long as he as an advocate for global warming everything will be ok.

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

All core math, with at least 15 things to do that simple division, multiplication, adding, and subtraction, of yester years, which have been throw out for a bunch of mombo jumbo, chalk filling the chalk boards with chalk dust, leaving the kids completely lost in using simple math.

The fleecing of America, and its people...

 

[DADI03]

There is a big problem right now with math especially. My older 2 are learning regular math. My younger one is in common core. He hates it. He constantly gets problems marked wrong with the right answer but wrong way of coming up with it or just doing the easy problems in his head. He's youngest is pretty smart but very analytical so he can do a lot of work in his head but apparently that's not allowed. We talked to his teacher and she said it's out of her hands and she doesn't like it either. A lot of good math teachers are quitting over it right now.

I have a strong feeling that when this group of kids gets into the business world with common core math that the businesses will really feel what this. You'll have people running the business doing normal math trying to go over numbers with common core numbers.

To the original kid mentioned here. While l see your point and he might not be as smart as one would hope. Some people just aren't good at math even though they pass. He might be able to figure it out slowly when it is all layed out in front of him. It also might be because of common core and the way he's been thought to break it out and make no steps in his head.

 

[palmettomoon]

"He couldn't figure out, in his head, what each of 3 identical items cost if together the bill came to $100."

Can't be done in decimalised monetary system. One of the three items must cost at least one penny more (in American money) than the other two.

Teacher fail. Not surprising.

After my nephews derisively explained "common core math" to me years ago I was pleased to also hear them exclaim how stupid the concept is and it actually handicaps the kids who aren't already mentally capable of using rote memorization.

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

Just this morning, around 0448 to be precise, an older cashier tried to subtract the coupon on my tobacco can. Original price $3.59 w/ .50 off coupon. He mumbles a bit and asked "how does $3.00 a can sounded." I told him that is sounded great, but they were $3.09 per can. He looked confused. I told him that $3.59 minus .50 was $3.09. The light came on and he said, "you are absolutely right." This is the same man that added $1.50 instead of subtracting $2.50 last weekend for the same tobacco w the same coupon...

 

[dondon48]

the entire purpose of the federal department of education is to dumb down the population...the more ignorant the voters are the easier it is to tell them what ever you want them to believe and have them believe it. government schools only purpose is indoctrinating good little government subjects.