Is algebra necessary for ALL?

[Anonymous]

any data to back up these generalizations?

[Anonymous]

Your continual requests for data are getting annoying.

Perhaps you could research data that is contrary to the reasonable assertions made on this thread, e.g. STEM careers are growing, the US graduates fewer STEM students, many high-tech jobs are being filled by foreigners, etc. if you would like to contribute something to the discussion. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Google STEM and read. We have a STEM crisis in the USA. That's why our colleges and universities are filling up with Chiniese and Indian and other international students thrilled at the opportunity to pay full freight to attend an USA institution and the school is thrilled to get them because their backgroudns in hard science and math is better.

[Anonymous]

"Actually, I think everyone should have a basic statistics course. It is so helpful in reading the news, understanding surveys, scientific studies, political trends. I think stats might be more important for the average person than algebra, although I think basic algebra and geometry should be required too>

OMG, so many DCUMers need to take Stats 101, it isn't funny.

[Anonymous]

I don;t beleive so. I'd rather a schoool system focus more of fractions, percentages and just common everyday math.

[Anonymous]

Excuse my typos above....we are talking about math here!

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]any data to back up these generalizations?[/quote]

For those who don't have google -- or even CNN -- here's what http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/25/students.science.math/ said: "According to the report, the U.S. math scores were not measurably different in 2006 from the previous scores in 2003. But while other countries have improved, the United States has remained stagnant.In science, the United States falls behind countries such as Canada, Japan and the Czech Republic."

Here's what http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/opinion/26tue2.html?_r=0 said: "According to a follow-up(by theNational Academies) report published last month, the academies found that the United States ranks 27th out of 29 wealthy countries in the proportion of college students with degrees in science or engineering, while the World Economic Forum ranked this country 48th out of 133 developed and developing nations in quality of math and science instruction.

If you need more recent numbers, Google it yourself. Wake up. The data exist and are undeniable.

[Anonymous]

I don;t beleive so. I'd rather a schoool system focus more of fractions, percentages and just common everyday math.

Algebra is generally in high school and sometimes, in middle school, but fractions, percentages, and "everyday math" are supposed to be taught in elementary school.
Also, algebra is everyday math for many professionals in this day and age.

[Anonymous]

I think we just have to accept that these anti-Algebra posters here live a very sheltered life and maybe haven't ever had to work a real job in the professional world.

Or, God help us if they are actually educators or public officials who have influence on education policy, because if that's the case how in the hell did they get there if they are so incompetent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don;t beleive so. I'd rather a schoool system focus more of fractions, percentages and just common everyday math.

This is fourth/fifth grade math so what are they suppose to learn in middle and high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we just have to accept that these anti-Algebra posters here live a very sheltered life and maybe haven't ever had to work a real job in the professional world.

Or, God help us if they are actually educators or public officials who have influence on education policy, because if that's the case how in the hell did they get there if they are so incompetent?

ITA. Idiotic. Since literacy and "every day" math is all taught in elementary school are these people proposing a 5/6th grade education is sufficient?

I don't know anyone who did not learn Algebra or Calculus for that matter but I went to college and everyone I know are educated professionals with graduate degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don;t beleive so. I'd rather a schoool system focus more of fractions, percentages and just common everyday math.

This is fourth/fifth grade math so what are they suppose to learn in middle and high school?

Well 4th/5th grade math is everyday math so................learning Algebra to pick your brain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we just have to accept that these anti-Algebra posters here live a very sheltered life and maybe haven't ever had to work a real job in the professional world.

Or, God help us if they are actually educators or public officials who have influence on education policy, because if that's the case how in the hell did they get there if they are so incompetent?

ITA. Idiotic. Since literacy and "every day" math is all taught in elementary school are these people proposing a 5/6th grade education is sufficient?

I don't know anyone who did not learn Algebra or Calculus for that matter but I went to college and everyone I know are educated professionals with graduate degrees.

How nice for you. But I have an undergraduate and two graduate degrees, one from an Ivy. Never took any math beyond trig, in fact I dropped trig, in high school. The only math course I took in college was statistics. I have worked in "real" jobs all my life, but I would be interested in knowing what jobs are not "real"?

BTW, did you take any English or writing courses? Perhaps not. "Everyone I know are"?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]any data to back up these generalizations?[/quote]

For those who don't have google -- or even CNN -- here's what http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/25/students.science.math/ said: "According to the report, the U.S. math scores were not measurably different in 2006 from the previous scores in 2003. But while other countries have improved, the United States has remained stagnant.In science, the United States falls behind countries such as Canada, Japan and the Czech Republic."

Here's what http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/opinion/26tue2.html?_r=0 said: "According to a follow-up(by theNational Academies) report published last month, the academies found that the United States ranks 27th out of 29 wealthy countries in the proportion of college students with degrees in science or engineering, while the World Economic Forum ranked this country 48th out of 133 developed and developing nations in quality of math and science instruction.

If you need more recent numbers, Google it yourself. Wake up. The data exist and are undeniable.[/quote]

This is data, but it doesn't back up the claim that "he US is falling behind other countries in terms of R&D, science, innovation and technology - we used to be the world's leader, the world's most advanced country, now we're fast on our way to second-rate irrelevance. Americans no longer pursue STEM fields in meaningful numbers."

[Anonymous]

13:35 here - Do you seriously think any graduate from a DCPS school who only has a 5th/6th grade math education would even have a snowball's chance in hell of being accepted into any worthwhile college or university, let alone grad school or an Ivy? I sure don't.

The majority of America isn't coming from a privileged life that could even remotely afford to put them through Ivies and grad school at current tuition rates. I'm not sure how you managed, but I certainly doubt you got there on an academic scholarship if your math background was so lackluster.

Overall, you really aren't making a terribly compelling argument of why we should dumb the curriculum down.

Knowledge is power.