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Re: [Phys-L] problems with the teaching of algebra



This is an interesting discussion!

Most of my friends -- in fact, most people in this country -- don't need
algebra. My
wife has a t-shirt that says, "Another day passed and I haven't used
algebra once."
People find math useless and are turned off by it. What math skills do
most people need?
Arithmetic -- addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fraction,
percents,
and decimals. Did I miss anything? Maybe the way math is taught needs to
be changed.
It's mostly numbers, rules, memorization, but no application or practical
use. It was
like this when I was in school, but I liked playing with numbers and was
good at it.

I've been teaching physics for 25 years and mainly use algebra and trig.
Some logs
when I teach sound, and that's it. I was taught way more than I ever
needed, even
as a physics teacher. Math teachers often tell kids that they need to
learn something
to get to the next level or advance to the next course. For what? Most
people will not
become scientists. Math teaching really needs a revolution to make it more
practical,
relevant, and interesting.





Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:

The CBEST was instituted for political reasons, not ed.

I agree, passing appropriate courses is a considerably better
qualification.

bc, even w/ a PhD in Physics (and extensive college teaching) can’t
teach it in a public HS.


On 2014, Oct 12, , at 11:16, Philip Keller <PKeller@holmdelschools.org>
wrote:

Is this example meant to be ironic? Which of these kids is going to
learn fractions today? :)

More seriously, though: if you believe that it is important that
elementary school teachers can do a little algebra, putting one or two
items on a multiple choice test is not going to make that happen. You'd
be better off requiring that they have one college level course in a
subject that uses algebra, one that they'd be unlikely to pass without
that minimal level you were hoping to see.


On 10/12/2014 2:30 AM, Ze'ev Wurman wrote:
On 10/11/2014 8:43 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:


Aaaagh!

You’re correct, however, this practice exam. includes one, I think
— at least I used algebra , #22

‎www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/pdf/cbest_opt_math.pdf
<http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/pdf/cbest_opt_math.pdf>

The problem is:

At the beginning of a class period, half of the students in a class
go to the library. Later in the period, half of the remaining
students go to the computer lab. If there are 8 students remaining
in the class, how many students were originally in the class?


It is interesting to note that Singapore students are expected to
solve such problems in the third grade with their bar models.

Ze'ev
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Forum for Physics Educators
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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@www.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

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Phys-l@www.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l