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Re: Discussion: Do US Math Teachers Suck?
Posted:
Mar 27, 2012 1:43 PM
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My comments were based on the operations of the public school system that my children attended until 2002. Based on my subsequent observations, things have not improved. I retired from teaching almost four years ago. The last unsolicited desk copies that I received were the previous editions of the following 1,000-page abominable doorstops:
http://www.amazon.com/Precalculus-Concepts-Functions-Approach-Trigonometry/dp/0321644875/
http://www.amazon.com/Precalculus-Concepts-Functions-Triangle-Trigonometry/dp/0321645081/
On 27 Mar 2012, Robert Hansen wrote:
> That might have been the main issue 30 years ago, but
> things are much stranger now, at least in secondary
> school. In primary school I agree with you. The
> curriculum is in need of an overhaul. The
> developmental flow is broken. It needs to be re-paced
> and return to a systematic progression.
>
> Regarding post primary education, you said that your
> alma mater had reasonable success in algebra. What
> year(s) was that? I bet if you walked into an algebra
> class today, the book on the desk would not be the
> first thing to catch your eye. In fact, I bet you
> become exhausted by all the things that catch your
> eye first and you never even make it to the book.
>
> Bob Hansen
>
> On Mar 27, 2012, at 11:38 AM, Domenico Rosa wrote:
>
> > In my opinion, the biggest problem in U.S.
> mathematics education consists of our
> textbook-publishing cartel and the bloated junk books
> that are being written, published, promoted and
> adopted. In many cases these junk series of books are
> adopted based on the recommendations of assorted
> highly-paid "consultants"--hacks who are hired by the
> incompetent members of Boards of Education.
> >
> > If we had sound textbooks, even a mediocre teacher
> would do a reasonable job at teaching the material,
> and the better students would be able to read the
> books themselves.
> >
> > With respect to teachers, we must keep in mind that
> many of them must follow the directives of
> "curriculum specialists" and "directors of
> instruction.". These are petty careerists who usually
> hold the position for two or three years before they
> move up in the administrative ladder. Teachers must
> constantly switch to the shifting fads of these
> careerists.
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