Re: [MATHEDCC] California

Geoff Hagopian (galois@cyberg8t.com)
Mon, 08 Dec 1997 16:30:42 -0800

Of course the Sacramental dementia, er, intelligencia, would not think of
linking poor performance with poor teaching (only half of high school math
teachers have a major or minor in mathematics) - no, it's a lack of correct
answers! This should be somebody's cue to burst in with the edict, "off with
their heads!"
I note with interest Keith Devlin's editorial in FOCUS wherein he calls for
less basic skills in teaching mathematics. Rather than compute cube roots without
the aid of a calculator (as the California Standards now impetuously insist we do)
Devlin posits that

"an educated citizen should be able to answer the two questions:
1. What is mathematics?
2. Where and how is mathematics used?
[...] Teach mathematics as a part of our culture and the result will be many more
students who are motivated to want to learn mathematics. The aim of mathematics
education should be to produce an educated citizen, not a poor imitation of a $30
calculator."

What's a teacher to do? Blow more hot cayenne pepper into the little one's eyes
and ears? Given my pass rate this semester, that seems to be what *I'm* doing....

Geoff Hagopian
Palm Desert, CA

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