Search All of the Math Forum:
Views expressed in these public forums are not endorsed by
Drexel University or The Math Forum.
|
|
|
|
Re: Reply to Jerry Rosen
Posted:
Jun 18, 1997 6:48 PM
|
|
----------
> From: KimberLeigh F Hadfield <kimberleigh@juno.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <ap-calc@ets.org>
> Subject: Re: Reply to Jerry Rosen
> Date: Friday, June 20, 1997 6:05 AM
>
> Jerry stated:
> >Some of you - such as M. Green say you support balance - that is great
> >-
> >you should scream loud and clear that there is no balance in Harvard
> >and
> >there is very little to no balance in all reform approaches.
>
> I am one to whom you refer. I admit there are omissions in the Harvard
> text
> as with all texts be it traditional or reform. However, I for one, have
> done my
> own research on student understanding using a traditional text and a
> Harvard
> text. I suggest we ALL do and go with what WE feel is right. With
> traditional
> texts I have had to supplement like crazy to get students to explore and
> discover
> concepts. With the Harvard text, I supplement traditionally (proofs,
> etc). But
> to junk the text when our school had an 80-85%
This is only a valid argument if the content and process of the AP tests
have remained constant through the years. For instance, it is my
understanding, that those taking the AP test now are permitted to use
calculators, and that some of the content of the tests has been "finessed"
to accomodate the prevalence of the reform-style curriculum. To judge how
your students are succeeding relative to those of years past you would, at
the very least, have to ask them to take the exam without mechanical
(calculator) assistance. Your kids may, in fact, perform superbly - but at
this point, performance on the AP test can only be considered a partial
assesment of their mathematical competence, maturity and attainment.
Equally important is how they perform in college classrooms around the
country the following Fall. Stripped of their calculators, and no longer
free to avoid proof, calculation and heavy algebraic manipulation - are
your kids passing these classes with A's and B's. If there is a
considerable disjoint between AP success rates and Freshman Calculus
success rates, it is possibe that the AP test should be retooled to more
realistically reflect the content and demands of the courses that colleges
are obliged to grant passees credit for. On the other hand, of course,
perhaps colleges should not grant credit for courses whose content is not,
in fact, covered in the curent AP exam. This might provide presure for
more honest testing practices and more comprehensive HS classes.
Just a thought....
-RLM-
pass rate (I'm not sure of
> the exact
> number) last year on the test tells me more than any argument (which it
> has
> become) on this list.
>
> KimberLeigh Hadfield
> Utah Valley State College and
> American Fork High School
> kimberleigh@juno.com
>
|
|
|
|
