In article
<d1e900e6-cd8e-4231-bc1f-2baee84db058@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Beliavsky <beliavsky@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>On May 13, 11:48=A0am, kev...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(Beth Kevles) wrote:
>> Citing "The Bell Curve" makes me suspect everything else in those
>> posts... "The Bell Curve" is really NOT good science. =A0It's based on
>> ideas that lost respect after World War II (and for good reason)!
>You do not want to base opposition to genocide or racial oppression on
>the idea that all groups have equal capabilities on average. What if
>they turn out not to?
>> My guess would be that, with the advent of the algebra requirement,
>> schools are pu****ng kids faster than they can learn. =A0Kids who don't
>> develop a deep sense of numeracy, who move from math unit to math unit
>> at too quick a pace, never develop the basic mathematical foundations
>> upon which algebra is built. =A0And honestly, there are a lot of
excellent=
>> teachers out there who have the same problem, and so don't teach math
>> verhy well at the elementary level (where teachers are expected to
teach
>> ALL subjects, not just the ones they understand well).
>> I see no evidence that kids are innately too dumb or unmotivated to
>> learn algebra. =A0
>The question is what *fraction* of kids are smart enough to learn
>algebra. If you think everyone can master algebra, where do you think
>differentiation sets in? Can everyone learn single-variable calculus?
>Multivariable calculus and partial differential equations?
That is a big question; educationists are unwilling to
face differences in ability, and this holds greatly
even in kindergarten. But an algebra course which
concentrates on concepts is essential to precise thinking,
as is a good formal logic course. Both of these belong
in elementary school, if we are willing to let children
use these without being adept at arithmetic.
It is very definitely NOT necessary to have any significant
ability at arithmetic to do all that Beliavsky has mentioned
and much more. In fact, the use of concepts instead of
calculations would greatly improve those courses. People
should be doing the more im****tant part not tested by the
use of computational exams, and let the computer do the
grunge work.
--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
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