[MATHEDCC] calculators are not the issue

Lee E. Erker (lerker@MADISON.TDSNET.COM)
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 08:49:34 -0500

I have been reading with interest the pro and con comments about using
pocket calculators. In general, I agree with the comments that suggest
".. having a good teacher is much more important than whether a student
has access to a calculator or not". This discussion reminds me of a
talk I just had with one of my pre-calculus students about what I
believe is a more fundamental concern. This student is one who
possesses very minimal thinking (critical?) skills, or else prefers not
to use them. No matter what the question raised in class the student
invariably reaches for his calculator, whether it is appropriate or
not. He is taking my class a second time and will be unsuccessful again
unless he begins to apply simple common sense thinking skills. He is
not "stupid"! In summary, I believe we all have a few students who
would rather not think, and much prefer very mechanical robotic
solutions to problems. I can think of several things that partially
explain this behavior. One, of many, is that I hear lots of stories
about pre-college classrooms where Friday is video day, and teachers
would rather not be bothered when students require them to "think". Are
some of us sometimes too much like my student?

Lee Erker
Math/Physics
Tri-County Community College
Murphy, North Carolina

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