Re: MATHEDCC Digest - 3 Feb 1997

Roberta S. Lacefield (rsl094@FOX.WAY.PEACHNET.EDU)
Tue, 4 Feb 1997 14:24:40 EST

My husband teaches construction (and also Autocad) at the local high school.
He requires students to learn to read the ruler and it is definitely a
struggle. We recently finished building a house. We acted as the general
contractor. I was shocked by the inability of most of the people we hired
to solve a basic geometry problem. However, I don't think things will
change until we treat what my husband is teaching as a real subject. He has
a Masters degree in Construction (which involves more than just College
Algebra!) but most of his fellow teachers treat him as if he is a janitor
with a teaching license. How can we expect young people to have respect for
professions like plumbing, woodworking, etc if we do not? Until we
recognize that it is not just college prep students who need significant
math (along wit a true understanding of what they are doing - see earlier
remarks by Gary and Wayne) but <all> students, we will have to live with
cabinets that have few 90 degree angles.

Roberta

>>
>> X-To: "The Technology in Mathematics Education (TiME) committee of"
>> <MATHEDCC@VM1.MCGILL.CA>
>> To: Multiple recipients of list MATHEDCC <MATHEDCC@VM1.MCGILL.CA>
>
>>
>
>>
>> The question is, what should we change and how should we change it?
>>
>> Gary Helmer
>>
>> Lets start by assuming that 1/2 the kids I see in 6th grade are hands
>on not paper pencil kind of people and lets face the fact that we are
>facing a real shortage in skilled trades men like good plumbers
>(my plumber is over 75 but he can fix my 30 year old boiler in my 90
>year old house when he dies......)
>I am not sure there is anyone left in this state who can lay an arch of
>stones over a hearth. I shudder at some of the shoddy electrical
>work...
>and and and
>We need to re think the kind of curriculum we are pushing and get away
>from the need to shove 80-90% of our kids into college.
>Somedays I wish I had taken up building trades
>Good wood workers are a dying breed.... it starts with being able to
>read a ruler and if you want a real scare ask any group of 8th graders
>to measure 2 and 3/8s inches......
>There is no reason why and apprenticeship program for the manually
>gifted should not be put in place starting at 6th grade and let these
>kids graduate with a skill and a means to make a good living.
>
>
>What should we change???
>
>Everything!
>KC Hillard
>617 East Division St.
>Cadillac, Michigan 49601
>616-775-8785
>fax: 616-775-1303
>hillard@netonecom.net
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Roberta S. Lacefield (912) 285-6027 Fax: (912) 287-4909
Waycross College email: RSL094@fox.way.peachnet.edu
2001 S. Georgia Pkwy
Waycross, GA 31503
http://memberstripod.com/~Roberta/index.html
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