I don't contend that EVERYBODY must be able to do math. It's pretty clear
that our economic system does not reward people for their knowledge or
their worth to society (cf. rock stars, product endorsers, money managers,
etc.). My thesis is that our society, in order to function optimally,
requires some minimal number of citizens who do, in fact, have a good
command of the various intellectual disciplines--and the math to support
them--required for a satisfactory understanding of the physical world.
It's pretty clear that that is not the case at present, and I search in
vain for evidence that it may change.
Years ago, at our "Varsity E Club" banquet--where those of us who had
earned letters in sport entertained the newly-graduated jocks--we had a
speaker who was the coach of the state champion high school basketball
team. (This was in Indiana, so it was a pretty big deal!) He talked about
how he would visit all the feeder schools in the district, making sure
every one had the best possible basketball program. He emphasized that it
was not primarily because of altruistic interest in the well-being of
those students; it was because he wanted to make sure that if there was a
student out there who had the potential to make his team, that he didn't
get missed because of lack of opportunity to learn the game.
I feel that his argument can be used to justify encouraging all students
to take as much math as they can master. Extraordinary talent is rare, and
we should be willing to devote considerable effort to finding it.
John M. Flanigan <johnf@hawaii.edu> The equation is the final arbiter.
Assistant Professor, Mathematics --Werner Heisenberg
Kapi'olani Community College The scoreboard is the final arbiter.
Honolulu, Hawaii --Bill Walton
On Mon, 5 Oct 1998, George Lewis wrote:
> On Friday, October 02, 1998 3:48 PM, you wrote:
>
> > I would like to think that higher education still
> > focuses on the original goal of trying to "educate" the
> > population - to become an "educated person"!!!
>
> Ok, so mathematics is part of the curriculum, not for reasons of
> professional prep, but so that each student will "become an educated
> person". That's fine. But how do we distinguish it from other liberal
> arts like political science or poetry which are not specifically
> required for graduation? In fact, no specific science course, such as
> physics or chemistry, is required for graduation. The student is allowed
> to pick from a list.
>
> Is mathematics required because it is needed by all educated citizens?
> If so, then why is the bulk of the required curriculum made up of
> algebra and precalculus? Clearly, math is there so that students who may
> transfer to a university and pick majors that require calculus will be
> ready. The fact that the majority of students do not fall into this
> category (and so are unmotivated to learn the material) is treated as an
> unfortunate pitfall of this strategy.
>
> So which is it? A liberal art to be offered but not required, a
> generally useful set of skills (factoring binomials?) or simply a
> prerequisite for calculus?
>
> --George
>
> George Lewis
> Coastal Fisheries Division
> Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
> george.lewis@tpwd.state.tx.us
>
> > -----Full Original Message-----
> > From: Abraham S. Mantell [mailto:mantell@polar.sunynassau.edu]
> > Sent: Friday, October 02, 1998 3:48 PM
> > To: hburn@CTC.CTC.EDU
> > Cc: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
> > Subject: Re: [MATHEDCC] Re: AA without Math Requirement
> >
> >
> > Hello Helen,
> >
> > I understand your dilemma, and often think the same
> > thing...however, we
> > should remember that the (original) intent of higher
> > education was not to
> > be able to go out and get a job, but to become an "educated" person.
> > I suppose this has changed, at least in the minds of our students and
> > much of the population - many (if not most) expect to learn
> > what they will
> > need to get employed and make lots of money...perhaps this is what the
> > business end of higher education needs to advertise to maintain or
> > increase enrollment. I would like to think that higher
> > education still
> > focuses on the original goal of trying to "educate" the
> > population - to
> > become an "educated person"!!!
> >
> > If someone wishes to learn ONLY those skills, tasks, or
> > routines that are
> > relevant to their chosen discipline, then I suggest trade or
> > professional
> > school for that training.
> >
> > Contrary to what we are supposed to say, not all people are "college
> > material"...that is not to say they cannot become more than
> > what they are,
> > but I find, teaching at the community college and even at a somewhat
> > respected local university (Hofstra), that many students are just not
> > ready, either intellectually or emotionally, for the rigors of serious
> > learning and discovery.
> >
> > Is this harsh? If so, then so be it!
> >
> > Abe
> >
> > mantell@sunynassau.edu
> >
> > >
> > > Abe:
> > >
> > > You mention that "there are always exceptions." The
> > opinions of most
> > > other responders (a decidedly biased sample, I suspect) is
> > that there are
> > > no exceptions. The situation I'm grappling with
> > > is the one
> > > student you run into every two or three years who is now
> > flunking their
> > > intermediate algebra for the third time, and they're
> > enrolled in this
> > > class after taking the previous class three times and
> > finally passing with
> > > a 0.7. Yet the student is receiving 3.0-4.0 in their other subject
> > > matters. What to do? Should they be precluded from having
> > an AA and
> > > going on? The response of: "Go be a plumber" seems
> > elitist to me.
> > >
> > >
> > > Helen Burn
> > > Highline Community College
> > > Seattle, WA
> > >
> > >
> >
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