Schools should start teaching some truth

[Geogaddi]

I got to a public school in a bible belt state that has one of the worst education systems in the country. It's still worthwhile. (Poor education and high rates of Christianity... Coincidence? I think not.)

 

[Stigmata]

I'm going to have to disagree with you...first, being really technical, the goal IS to solve the problem because you don't get credit on your homework for understanding. You could have your best friend do your homework and you would still get credit for it even though you don't understand it; therefore the goal is to get an answer. You also don't pass classes so long as you understand the material, you pass classes when you can answer the problems.

sure, school may pass it off as "we really just care that you understand the material, not get the answers right" but they certainly don't practice it that way. Because you have to PROVE to them you understand the subject which means...getting the answers right...

and second, if I can do one problem of a certain type on my calculator then I can certainly do a second.

Why the hell are you in the course if you're not going to put in any effort?

 

[xcellerate]

Why the hell are you in the course if you're not going to put in any effort?

Because I don't decide which courses are or aren't requirements for my major.

How exactly can they gauge performance without allowing people to cheat? Theres been many different theories for education, but there are only so many practical ways to actually try and teach someone. So whats the proposed alternative?

My point wasn't cheating, it was that the goal of homework is to get the right answer, not learn something. I would think that the system we have now for education would be the best, if it weren't I would hope they would change it.

 

[15357]

If knowing log functions and sin^2(45)* cot(30) gets me into a good Uni, then thats all that I'm saking for.

 

[AKIRA]

aren't doctors in school till they're like 40? that's almost half your life...couldn't you say school is their life...or at least a vast part of it?

I will say the one thing that has pissed me off in school is that math classes (even upper level) won't let me use my TI-89 calculator. In fact I got kicked out of calc for trying to argue it.


I asked the teacher why I couldn't use it, and he said because you never learn what the calculator is doing, you just learn how to work it. So I told him then he better give me the keys to his car, and he asked why, and I said because you don't know how it works you just know how to work it. I kept going too, I told him he better turn off the lights and the a/c and when he gets home he better not even think about turning on his TV, because all those things are things he doesn't know how they work but just how to work them.

He told me to get out and come back when I have a better attitude towards learning. A calculator does math faster and with less mistakes than pencil and paper, why am I not allowed to do something if it's faster, easier, more accurate, and yields the same results?

That is the single smartest post i've ever read in a forum....<3

 

[ZeeM]

I feel like I got a great education when I was young (makes me feel old, I'm 19). I had sex-ed when I was around 10 years old (then at three other times) so I got that covered. Religion and social studies was great since it was very open and treated everything equal. We're not very christian here in Swedeland, so I guess that helped a lot. We had people from different religions come to the school to talk about their point of view so we could ask them questions. It really opened my mind to new ideas and religions, it's been very helpful and I think it's a very important thing to learn.

I'm in University now studying game development, so the the social studies helped me quite a bit (requirement to apply to the program aswell.).

Go Sweden! :smoking:

Though I definitely see where you were coming from, you weren't in class to learn how to use a TI-89.

Math classes are there for you to learn how mathematics works, how to apply it to everyday situations, how to use it in other fields of research, how to develop new theories, and so on and so forth. Plugging equations into a calculator teaches you nothing about the intricacies of mathematics, while manually working out equations and relations teaches you a hell of a lot.

To use the car analogy: People in mechanics classes don't go to class to learn how to turn the key for an engine someone else built.

Well we already know how to add, multiply etc numbers we dont need to do it all the time. A calculator is a tool that does basic mathematical operations so you can concentrate on the main problem and not screw the whole problem up because of not paying enough attention to a simple division which you could have done well under different circumstances.

Its like reinventing the wheel everytime you want to use it.

 

[Stigmata]

Well we already know how to add, multiply etc numbers we dont need to do it all the time. A calculator is a tool that does basic mathematical operations so you can concentrate on the main problem and not screw the whole problem up because of not paying enough attention to a simple division which you could have done well under different circumstances.

Its like reinventing the wheel everytime you want to use it.

You already know how to do basic operations because they're basic, and because you were taught them for six years straight before moving on to things like fractions (or at least in Canada you are).

You and xcellerate seem to be missing a fairly obvious point - the mere fact that he're making errors in his written math is reason enough to not be allowed to use a calculator at all in that class.

 

[xcellerate]

You and xcellerate seem to be missing a fairly obvious point - the mere fact that he're making errors in his written math is reason enough to not be allowed to use a calculator at all in that class.

everybody makes mistakes, don't act like you don't. You can't expect perfection from people because it won't happen.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Here's a point: One day, you'll be in the great wide world, and suddenly, a maths problem will appear, and you'll not have a calculator.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Raziaar]

Here's a point: One day, you'll be in the great wide world, and suddenly, a maths problem will appear, and you'll not have a calculator.

-Angry Lawyer

Good thing we'll have our own walking talking robots to solve those problems for us.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

And then they rebel, because you can't remember how to find Pi.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Jintor]

Pi Mi Rou?

He's over there.

/EDIT On a side note, what would you rather kids be doing?

 

[Stigmata]

Pi Mi Rou?

He's over there.

/EDIT On a side note, what would you rather kids be doing?

Having sexual relations with me.

All of them.