Re: [MATHEDCC] Why Johnny can't do math

jcotten (jcotten@mars.sunyjcc.edu)
Tue, 02 Nov 1999 10:25:33 -0500

>When a student asks "What's this good for?" or "when am
>I going to need this?" that's often a sincere plea for a
>demonstration of relevance. I don't think it's any answer
>at all to say "You need this because the next course up
>the line requires this as a prerequisite" or "you're
>going to need this on the test next week."
>
>Kirby

My answer to this questions is at times "You know, maybe never...but it
sure made you think, didn't it?" Almost all the time the student says with
a smile, "Yeah, it sure did!"

JOdi Cotten
Department of Mathematics
Jamestown Community College
Cattaraugus County Campus
Olean, New York

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