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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Pretty much all modern math curricula introduce algebra concepts in early elementary, but using blanks or pictures instead of letter variables.[/quote]
Yeah, "modern" as in post 1990s.

Before that, it was x's and y's.

It is helpful to remember the history of the [url=https://www.csun.edu/~vcmth00m/bshm.html]math wars[/url] as told by David Klein:

[i]Within a month of the release of the Education Department's report, more than 200 university mathematicians added their names to an open letter to Secretary Riley calling upon him to withdraw those recommendations.[23] The list of signatories included seven Nobel laureates and winners of the Fields Medal, the highest international award in mathematics, as well as mathematics department chairs of many of the top universities in the US, and a few state and national education leaders. The open letter was published on 18 November 1999 as an ad in the Washington Post, paid for by the Packard Humanities Institute.[24] [/i]

and

[i] The roots of progressive education are intertwined with anti-authoritarian ideals from the Romantic Era. In addition, progressive educators, including a former NCTM president, argued that women and members of ethnic minority groups learn mathematics differently from white males.[29] Such views were harmonious with the politically liberal ethnic identity ideologies popular during this period, especially in universities. Taking into account the anti-elitism and social justice arguments surrounding constructivist mathematics programmes, it is then not surprising that multiculturalists and liberals would be attracted to the NCTM vision, even if they did not understand the mathematical issues involved. As those groups constituted parts of the electoral base for Democratic politicians, the latter would be reluctant to challenge the use of constructivist maths in schools.[/i]

This article was written 25 years ago (!). 
[/quote]

It's funny to look back now and realize that Virginia was once a leader in winning the math wars by rejecting progressive education.[/quote]

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