Math at Home: Poor mom.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Poor mom.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Probably what my granddaughters would say.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

jerryc41 wrote:

Poor mom.

You should see the 5th Grade math text books they are using today. I was substitute teaching a 5th Grade class and some of the kids asked for help with their Math assignment. Yikes, Much of it did not even use numbers or x, y, a, b, etc. like you would in Algebra, but pictures and icons. I read the chapter and a few before and could not figure it out. Mind you, I have a Bachelor's degree in Biology and have had three college classes in Calculus, and a Teaching Credential. I had to be honest with the kids and tell them I don't understand it either and they would have to wait until their regular teacher comes back. I still don't know what the Cr*p was. I've tried asking a math professor. It was so weird! It might explain some of the problem the world is having today.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

I was helping to tutor the daughter of my late wife's homemaker in Grade 12 math... the text was fabulous and extremely good. It was a bit difficult starting out, but I caught on pretty quickly. The math program had a whole different focus. I hadn't looked at a math book for 50 years...(fortunately, I use mathematics daily).

Dik

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Dikdik wrote:

I was helping to tutor the daughter of my late wife's homemaker in Grade 12 math... the text was fabulous and extremely good. It was a bit difficult starting out, but I caught on pretty quickly. The math program had a whole different focus. I hadn't looked at a math book for 50 years...(fortunately, I use mathematics daily).

Dik

Very, cool, that is what I would expect. Traditional 12th Grade Advanced Algebra or Calculus.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

lamiaceae wrote:

You should see the 5th Grade math text books they ... (show quote)

It explains a lot about where the world is today. We have generations of kids in America who are being educated to the minimum level to create workers. I think that there’s still a rule that you are only legally required to attend school through the 8th Grade. The corollary is they they’re only legally required to educate children to the 8th Grade level. But it stops far short of that.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

lamiaceae wrote:

You should see the 5th Grade math text books they ... (show quote)

Yes, you are correct. It was that way ten years ago. I can only imagine what it is like today. My highest achieved math was Algebra 2. I later took a course in business mathematics, which I find beneficial to this day. Trigonometry and Calculus were avoided by me. A friend of mine, told me, all the math you need to know, is enough to make sure no one cheats you. And, an understanding of your checking and savings account. Primarily adding and subtracting mostly. He said that is fine after you finished school. Unless, you are in a career, where advanced math is needed. Engineering, Science, and High Tech, etc. Some school districts in America, have discussed, giving all students, a grade of "A", during this pandemic. Regardless if they earned it. A reward, for being deprived a teacher and classroom. I guess?

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

When I go to bed at night I thank the Lord for another day that I didn't have to use algebra!!

Popeye Loc: LifIno

Ditto

Keith S Loc: Federal Way, Wa

That young lady is probably complaining since mom is doing old math. The kind we went to the moon on.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

gvarner wrote:

It explains a lot about where the world is today. We have generations of kids in America who are being educated to the minimum level to create workers. I think that there’s still a rule that you are only legally required to attend school through the 8th Grade. The corollary is they they’re only legally required to educate children to the 8th Grade level. But it stops far short of that.

When I was in seventh grade, a classmate shook my hand and said “Good by”. He turned 16 the next day (!) and no member of his family had ever stayed in school a minute longer than required. I have often wondered whatever happened to him as Union jobs left town.

arden1939

Guess 2 plus 2 no longer equals 4.

1Feathercrest Loc: NEPA

jederick wrote:

When I go to bed at night I thank the Lord for another day that I didn't have to use algebra!!

I never understood the value of proving something wrong when you already knew it was wrong. (I didn't do well in Algebra.)

Bill_de Loc: US

jerryc41 wrote:

Poor mom.

Jerry,
My niece, who is now home schooling her three boys, says thanks for the laugh.

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cdayton

arden1939 wrote:

Guess 2 plus 2 no longer equals 4.

Let’s see, in base 3 that would be? Having taught Statistics for 45 years, math is a tough subject to make interesting. If you understand the beauty of mathematics, you become an avid learner but without that it can be a lot of rote learning for seemingly no purpose. I still enjoy seeing novel derivations of the Pythagorean Theorem and reread Plato’s Meno occasionally. Some believe that the universe is just pure mathematics. But I do understand, and sympathize with, students who find it boring.