Re: Despite high school algebra focus, more students need remedial

Beliavsky wrote:
[snip]
> Most people are not smart enough to go to college, but they can be
> productive members of society. People who have not mastered algebra
> should not be in college in the first place.

Why not?

Probably one factor in your view is your opinion of what college is for. 
  I don't want to speak for individuals, but it seems that Americans 
tend to think of college as being a place to provide a broad knowledge 
in several subject areas, whereas in the UK the aim of tertiary 
education is to continue the specialisation that students started when 
they were 14yo.

If you are going to study history, or languages, why do you need 
mathematics?  You can get into Oxford or Cambridge Universities (in the 
UK) with no formal mathematics qualification, which if you are British, 
means you may be unable to master algebra.

[snip]
> It's more likely that people who cannot grasp algebra are limited in
> "developing critical thinking skills" because they are not that
> smart..
[snip]

Wouldn't you say that being able to read complex written do***ents and 
being able to select the most relevant points is a major part of 
"critical thinking skills", and is irrelevant to algebra.

-- 

Penny Gaines
UK mum to three