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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why do we have to read Shakespeare and books written by dead authors in school, much of which I found depressing, boring, and hated the characters.  It's useless to me in everyday life.[/quote]

Literature increases vocabulary, provides exposure to other cultures, introduces ideas and concepts that can further one's understanding of society and human nature. Higher level math does none of this. For most people, it is simply pointless number puzzles. [/quote]
See, you missed the point entirely.  High level math teaches you to think critically, logically, which is also important in life.  I am a math person, but actually understand literature and can appreciate it.  My DH, also a math person, doesn't get most of the literature he had to read.  He doesn't feel it's helped him at all. It was the bane of his existence in school. [/quote]

But how often do you sit around thinking or having conversations about mathmatical concepts?[/quote]
I don't sit around thinking or having conversations about Shakespeare, either.  [b]Like I stated up thread, higher level math is  not about math, per se, but about solving more complex problems, developing higher level critical thinking skills.  The current and future job market for highly paid jobs require complex critical thinking skills, not just rote memorization of math.  I read an article about how CEOs are looking for problem solvers for complex issues.[/b]  I'm not saying only higher level math can teach this, but it certainly helps use a certain part of your brain to develop these skills.[/quote]

Oh come on.  So that's the reason to make kids suffer through years of math courses most will never use? Using that logic you might as well just teach them chess.  At least they would be learning something that they might actually do in their real lives. [/quote]
LOl... so because we don't want kids to "suffer" we shouldn't make them take hard classes that will teach them to think critically beyond a 9th grade level?  Like I stated, I don't find Shakespeare useful, but the reason schools make students read literature is to broaden their horizons and make them use a different part of their brain.  Maybe we should just make school optional after 9th grade like they used to way back when most people had no use for higher level education?   Now, there's a great solution.. let's make America great again by making people uneducated and not able to think critically beyond a 9th grade level.  Clearly, you don't realize that math makes you use a different part of your brain than language arts.

But, I agree, chess is a great thing to learn and should be taught.  We've taught our DCs.  [/quote]

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