Math and Science Education in America

[Andyee]

how can you appreciate something that people don't value))

[Infinte7]

Originally Posted by Andyee

how can you appreciate something that people don't value))

Maybe values would change if we were actually being educated?

I guess we will never know?

[Andyee]

yeah... maybe not... at least in the near future))

[Infinte7]

I guess my point is, educating yourself seems like the best option, currently I just started studying the ancients and they way they used mathematics and science and I tell you, it makes alot more sense then anything I ever learned in school...

[Andyee]

And I've learned that math isn't crap only in the series NUMB3RS.

I even have posted this on my blog: Math is not that boring! - Book and Movie reviews

[aggie]

i don't have kids and things have changed a lot since i was a youngster...and it also has a lot to do with the area of the usa you are in...

but i don't see any harm in trying to teach children some basics of math...i mean you wouldn't even be able to do any simple money exchanges for yourself if you didn't.

i think it is great for people to start early at home, do extra work at home and just plain allow their kids to be kids and learn about life by living it, as long as they are not pushed beyond their tolerance and not allowed to just slack off in the name of freedom.

i know from my science professor husband that dumbing down is becoming more common. it gets down to money sometimes and political correctness and socio-economic quotas that need to be met. usually it seems like the patients are running the asylum. so much more than educating is put on the educators....they need to be parent figure, counselor, motivator. they have to be careful not to be too demanding, or embarrass or offend anyone, sometimes even at the expense of controlling a classroom as they would like.
there are language barriers...but again, that becomes the responsibility and problem of the teacher.

they have to deal with people chosing math or science based careers because it is offered...whether they are qualified or not.

they deal with the threat of racism, sexism, favoritism even when they are being as fair and as lenient and understanding and accomodating as they can possibly be and a student can accuse them of not teaching the well enough in the end.

they even have to deal with gang like mentality and be very adept at handling difficult situations to assure nothing threatening ensues.

teachers that have brilliant minds, but may be of a weak, feeble or handicapped body are ridiculed and walked over and the fired because they can't control students or they are not liked.

so in the end you have the ones who read from a book, assign lots of reading, easy for them to grade tests and no inspiration.

welcome to higher education