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How or What: The way schools teach
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:30 am
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:30 am
Do schools teach kids how to think, or what to think?
And how significant is the difference?
If we're arming people to be critical thinkers, they're an enemy to status quo.
If school is about memorization and regurgitation of things predetermined, if it's about jumping through hoops with a carrot dangling in front then we're just teaching them what to think, or not even think at all -- which is disastrous to the evolution of intellect.
And how significant is the difference?
If we're arming people to be critical thinkers, they're an enemy to status quo.
If school is about memorization and regurgitation of things predetermined, if it's about jumping through hoops with a carrot dangling in front then we're just teaching them what to think, or not even think at all -- which is disastrous to the evolution of intellect.
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Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:32 am to hipgnosis
School's teach neither. They teach kids to memorize and recite in order to pass a test.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:34 am to hipgnosis
Common core math is a step in the right direction IMO. Give them multiple routes/tools to the correct answer and let then get from a to b.
That is all math is, is problem solving, higher level math is comprised of stuff you will likely not memorize without consistent repetition. It is about being given a starting point, understand the finishing point and figuring out how to get there. (Classical mathematics that is)
That is all math is, is problem solving, higher level math is comprised of stuff you will likely not memorize without consistent repetition. It is about being given a starting point, understand the finishing point and figuring out how to get there. (Classical mathematics that is)
This post was edited on 3/12/15 at 8:37 am
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:36 am to hipgnosis
They teach them to memorize irrelevant bullshite and indoctrinate them with liberal bullshite
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:37 am to kingbob
quote:
School's teach neither. They teach kids to memorize and recite in order to pass a test.
More evidence that people respond to the headline without reading OP.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:39 am to hipgnosis
School should be about learning what is needed to learn how to support yourself. For most people, that means learning how to learn at your job. For others, it means learning how to learn how run your own business.
But the key is to teach kids what they need to continue learning when they graduate.
But the key is to teach kids what they need to continue learning when they graduate.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:39 am to deltaland
quote:
They teach them to memorize irrelevant bullshite and indoctrinate them with liberal bullshite
Wowza.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:42 am to hipgnosis
I wasn't responding to the article. I was responding to the question.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:48 am to hipgnosis
quote:
Do schools teach kids how to think, or what to think?
Public schools have never done this, and aren't designed for it. Trying to fit this into their purpose is putting a round peg in a square hole.
If you are going to teach students that they should think critically, (teach them that they should judge ideas and methods themselves) then you have to give them a good reservoir of knowledge to use in their judgements. Otherwise you get a similar form of the current philosophy of concentrating on giving kids confidence, rather than actual knowledge.
Without a foundation of information, you cannot expect someone to make informed decisions.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:51 am to CheeseburgerEddie
quote:
Common core math is a step in the right direction IMO. Give them multiple routes/tools to the correct answer and let then get from a to b.
No its confusing to students more than it helps.
If a teacher recognizes that a student is not understanding the primary method taught, then they can use alternate methods to try and help the child. Kids, especially young ones, don't have the capacity to understand and memorize multiple methods of doing things. They're behind the rest of the world as it is.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 8:54 am to hipgnosis
I have 2 kids in school, and by and large I'm impressed with some of the teaching methods being used today compared to when I was in school.
One is spelling in 1st and 2nd grade. Both teachers my daughter has had don't fret too much over spelling, and focus more on sentence structure and developing writing style. She wrote a book about herself all school year in 1st grade, and basically wrote a page every couple of days. It's amazing to see the development from the first pages to the last, and that includes better spelling. Their theory is spelling will come to them, and spelling the word how it sounds phonetically is just fine at that age. Correct spelling was drilled into my head at that age.
One is spelling in 1st and 2nd grade. Both teachers my daughter has had don't fret too much over spelling, and focus more on sentence structure and developing writing style. She wrote a book about herself all school year in 1st grade, and basically wrote a page every couple of days. It's amazing to see the development from the first pages to the last, and that includes better spelling. Their theory is spelling will come to them, and spelling the word how it sounds phonetically is just fine at that age. Correct spelling was drilled into my head at that age.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 9:01 am to cokebottleag
Well god forbid a student doesn't understand something immediately and has to put some effort. It is actually a very good lesson so that said student has the confidence to learn something that was initially a challenge and doesn't get too frustrated early on in the process.
Whatever math we were teaching when I was in school was absolutely not helpful to anybody that wasn't intuitively a math person.
It isn't about getting answer to that question it is about understanding multiple methods and problem solving in general - at least that is what it should be about or else we can give everyone a calculator and be done with it
Whatever math we were teaching when I was in school was absolutely not helpful to anybody that wasn't intuitively a math person.
It isn't about getting answer to that question it is about understanding multiple methods and problem solving in general - at least that is what it should be about or else we can give everyone a calculator and be done with it
This post was edited on 3/12/15 at 9:03 am
Posted on 3/12/15 at 9:03 am to cokebottleag
quote:
Without a foundation of information, you cannot expect someone to make informed decisions.
Well fricking said.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 9:16 am to cokebottleag
No it's not. It's confusing to lazy, dumb parents that don't wNt to take the time to learn new methods and would rather hitch and moan that their kids aren't being taught the way they were, ignoring the irony in their bitching.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 9:33 am to hipgnosis
I just came here to 
at the public schoolers as I am wont to do.
Don't mind me
at the public schoolers as I am wont to do. Don't mind me
Posted on 3/12/15 at 10:30 am to CheeseburgerEddie
quote:
It isn't about getting answer to that question it is about understanding multiple methods and problem solving in general - at least that is what it should be about or else we can give everyone a calculator and be done with it
Teachers are already spending most of their time trying to get the struggling students in their classroom to understand 1 method well, and you think adding more methods for the same problem is the solution?
quote:
Whatever math we were teaching when I was in school was absolutely not helpful to anybody that wasn't intuitively a math person.
Oh I agree, the way we teach math in America is retarded. Both my wife and I were raised on what is termed "singapore math" and it is MUCH more intuitive. It's used all over East Asia, but sadly, not in the USA (much).
But 1 method works for most kids. Why complicate things? The students who don't grasp the first method can be instructed 1 on 1 in a separate method to try and help them, but trying to get an entire class to understand more than 1 is a waste of everyone's time. You could use that time to move on to other things, not going over the same damn thing that kids are NEVER going to use later.
Posted on 3/12/15 at 10:34 am to The Spleen
quote:
No it's not. It's confusing to lazy, dumb parents that don't wNt to take the time to learn new methods and would rather hitch and moan that their kids aren't being taught the way they were, ignoring the irony in their bitching.
Switching to a new method is fine (assuming it works and isn't a repeat of the public school's abandonment of phonics for "sight words" in the 1990s), but switching from teaching 1 method to teaching 7 is retarded.
Do you teach your kid multiple methods on how to BBQ, or do you teach them one method until they know it by heart, and then let them explore other ways when they are older?
Posted on 3/12/15 at 10:35 am to cokebottleag
I don't think it's about actually using it. It's more of the idea behind math. I got a math degree and in my job I don't use a single thing I learned from my college courses. But what I was taught had a much broader application in helping me recognize patterns, problem solving, in addition to me being able easily pick up ideas like the time value of money. I think to a certain degree the same things can be taught utilizing lower level topics and hopefully have students not be so fearful of math later on because they don't understand how it works an how to go about learning it.
I worked for about 3 years in the university's math department and did a lot of tutoring while trying to secure a real job and formulated some ideas and opinions.
Nothing wrong with us disagreeing though.
I worked for about 3 years in the university's math department and did a lot of tutoring while trying to secure a real job and formulated some ideas and opinions.
Nothing wrong with us disagreeing though.
This post was edited on 3/12/15 at 10:37 am
Posted on 3/12/15 at 11:30 am to deltaland
quote:Maybe in college but not in K-12.
indoctrinate them with liberal bull shite
Posted on 3/12/15 at 2:02 pm to hipgnosis
as a senior in high school now, I have gotten stupider this year. Its way too easy just to cheat through high school.
I have a 4.0 and im not top 50% in my class..gaining actual knowledge isn't valued, its just memorization and cheating to get you into college
I have a 4.0 and im not top 50% in my class..gaining actual knowledge isn't valued, its just memorization and cheating to get you into college
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