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Okay so I see this article today about how only a third of PA 8th Graders are proficient in science. What is the deal with people learning science and math? Out of all the subjects I've taken throughout my career it's the science and math courses that seem to confuse people and I'm not sure why. And I'm not talking high level math or science either. And I'm not really talking about 8th grade students either, but just in general when it comes to high school students and most adults. I've said it before and I'll say it again, when it comes to math and science the general public is so unbelievably dumb it's quite embarrassing.
It's because in the U.S., we as a culture don't value science and math nearly as much as we should. Many countries are way ahead of us. We are responsible for our own ignorance. Why is a nation that sent humans to the moon having court cases about whether or not evolution should be taught in schools? It's mind-boggling stupidity.
We should be teaching children from a very young age how fascinating science and math actually are. I started showing scientific experiments to my children even before they learned to talk. My son isn't even 2 yet, but he's already learned to identify the moon and Venus in the sky.
Last edited by BigCityDreamer; 05-14-2012 at 09:54 AM..
I think it has to do with the way we teach math and science (along with all other subjects). It's not the teachers fault (although they do a crappy job as a result); it's the system as a whole. I don't have a solution on how to fix the educational system here. But parents should realize this is an issue and take control of educating their children.
I think a lot of "math anxiety" (and subsequently science anxiety) starts in elementary school where many of the teachers are not comfortable with math and science, themselves.
I think this is true. I think students also suffer because schools can't decide HOW to teach it.
There's a saying among Boomers: "I am a victim of New Math". (It always provokes knowing looks and much rolling of the eyes.) Many schools changed the way they taught math in the 1960's and all it did was result in mass confusion and no one learning long division. My school was one of the schools that taught New Math. Even our parents were throwing up their hands saying WTH is this?!
Here's a bonus: The fewer people who like/can do math and science, the more opportunities for those of us who can. Selfish? Hell, yes.
Some reasons, in my opinion:
-people don't want to have to think
-lack of experience with critical thinking skills
-girls (not so much anymore, hopefully) have been taught subtly that math and science are not feminine
-lack of innate intelligence
-they both lack emotional meaning to many people so people don't feel like they contribute to society (although to me, scientists and engineers especially help people lots)
-scientific illiteracy and innumeracy are considered cool by many people. "I just can't do math!" How many people would go around almost proud to say "I just can't read!"
-many (not all-hopefully this is changing, too) elementary teachers are weak in these areas and so back off from teaching them so kids don't get a foundation
-these careers are not seen as glamorous
Here's a bonus: The fewer people who like/can do math and science, the more opportunities for those of us who can. Selfish? Hell, yes.
Some reasons, in my opinion:
-people don't want to have to think
-lack of experience with critical thinking skills -girls (not so much anymore, hopefully) have been taught subtly that math and science are not feminine
-lack of innate intelligence
-they both lack emotional meaning to many people so people don't feel like they contribute to society (although to me, scientists and engineers especially help people lots)
-scientific illiteracy and innumeracy are considered cool by many people. "I just can't do math!" How many people would go around almost proud to say "I just can't read!"
-many (not all-hopefully this is changing, too) elementary teachers are weak in these areas and so back off from teaching them so kids don't get a foundation
-these careers are not seen as glamorous
Now more girls graduate with science degrees than boys.
I am not sure what it is. I struggled with math and quit taking it asap in high school. However in college, I had little problem with logic (philosophy) classes and took them all. During registration, I noticed that Logig 580 The logic of Probability and possibility was also Calculus 630. I went to a counseler and found out not only did that count as a math class, but several of my other logic classes were also math classes. I did not need any math classes!
I graduated with good grades, excelled on the LSAT and graduated from a top 3 law school (at the time) without ever taking any math beyond 10th grade.
While I am probably not a genius like my brothers, I am smarter than average, yet I could never deal with math. Logic - no problem. But switch to numbers and memorizing forumulas - forget it.
I am still that way. Give me any legal breif, and I can improve it. Ask me to cacluate the damages, and I will make a mistake. I can understand the numbers when someone else does it and explains it (like an expert witness), I can consistenly pick out errors or lapses in logic in someone else's ccalculations, but I am not the person to do the calculations. If I do calculations, I have to triple check them and usually have somone else check them as well.
I think some people are just that way. Maybe it is realted to being left handed.
Let me ask some questions. Why do we need an x y axis? What purpose does it serve?
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