George, I agree with you that people are to quick to make math optional. But what do you think of Baker's critique of the way the curriculum is structured? He gives the example of teaching kids about removable and unremovable singularities in rational functions --- a lot of terminology-heavy stuff that seems more suited to memorization and multiple-choice standardized tests than actual understanding. My suggestion would be for some math to be mandatory, but for the curriculum to be designed around getting a sense of how mathematics and mathematical discovery actually works. For instance, I would give them a taste of combinatorics and abstract algebra, where there are interesting and accessible proofs --- the current focus on algebra and calculus is about calculation but hardly ever about proof. Cris On Nov 15, 2013, at 7:10 AM, George Hart <george@georgehart.com> wrote:
Hi Dan,
The article repeats an often-made argument that because the standard high school math curriculum is difficult for some students they should be allowed to avoid it. An important point left out of the article is that to understand dynamic processes in science, engineering, economics, etc., you must become fluent in differential equations by the second year of college, and this in turn necessitates a chain of prerequisite subjects---calculus, trigonometry, functions---down to the dreaded high school algebra. So the cost of allowing students to avoid algebra is that they would be making a decision when 16 years old that affects and limits them for the rest of their lives in ways they don't yet understand.
Educators are understandably reluctant to let 16 year olds make such an important decision that sometimes is made from laziness. Some students who might have chosen to skip algebra will find they succeed if they work harder, connect with a motivating teacher, or simply mature for a year. Yet Baker and others are right that many students will never understand algebra and get no value from being forced to sit in the class.
I think the resolution is to allow some students to skip algebra, but the education community needs to work out a very good system of selection and counseling, so these students are making a properly informed decision. I would argue that other branches of mathematics should be taught instead to those students (and be available as electives to students in the differential equations track) including fun high-school versions of discrete math, logic, and statistics.
George http://georgehart.com/
P.S. My latest sculpture barn-raising: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6kMGDHDPsY
On 11/14/2013 10:41 PM, Dan Asimov wrote:
Did anyone happen to read the article "Wrong Answer: The Case Against Algebra II" by Nicholson Baker, in the Sept. '13 Harper's magazine?
I'm curious what other math-fungi think of it. If you'd like a copy just let me know and I'll send you one.
--Dan _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
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