I'm posting this for a chuckle, although I think that it's too near the truth to be funny; I really deplore what I perceive as the 'dumbing down' of society. Anyway, chuckle at this: The Evolution of Math in the United States Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds for $3.58. The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies. While looking at the screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1960s... Teaching Math In 1960 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit? Teaching Math In 1970 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit? Teaching Math In 1980 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit? Teaching Math In 1990 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20. Teaching Math In 2000 A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.) Teaching Math In 2006 Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas se puede comprar? ....................Hank..................
Too true Hank! It's the same here in Ontario. The kids don't have to use their brains anymore...they allow calculators in class. My kids can't even tell the time unless it's digital!
I'm pre 1960's and can still do complicated mental arthmetic which the kids of nowadays wouldn't have a clue about. The best adding machine and computer we'll ever have is the brain inside our heads. :-D
I don't know about now, but at one time McDonalds didn't have prices on their cash registers. They had pictures of the different items. Like a pic of french fries on a key and a Big Mac on another one. The kids didn't even have to memorize items or prices. There was another story going around about a guy that tried to pay for his lunch with a $2 bill. The kid wouldn't accept it because it wasn't real money. The customer finally had to have him call the manager over to tell the kid to accept it. When I first went in the Navy we got paid in $2 bills.
Im afraid Im guilty of acting like this girl I used to work at McD's and I hated when someone gave me money, I would ring it up, then theyd give me more change :'( I didnt cry, but I would come very close. I couldnt do math in my head if my life depended on it. Of course, being ADHD doesnt help matters one bit... But that is kinda funny ^_^
My grandson will be nine in August. We were playing scrabble on Saturday morning. I was helping him because he thought scrabble looked like a neat game and wanted to learn. He could add those numbers twice as fast as I could and was always right. But, then, he's like his dad with an IQ that goes off the charts. Now they have cash registers that tell them how much change to give back and they still can't do it. dr always tells the waitress when he sees she's added the bill wrong, even if it's in our favor. Dooley
My son is a genius at adding figures in his head. He used to work at a grocery when he was going to college and the register would total up the items. He used to race the register and most of the time he would beat it too!
My poor husband is a Math teacher. Did you know that kids are given calculators in Kindergarten? He has such a tough time, because he has to teach the kids WHEN to use the calculator. He has students in the eighth grade in Algebra I (supposedly an honors class) who cannot add 2+3. He gave them a "perfect squares" quiz for twelve weeks in a row. They had to know thw the squares of the numbers 1-10. You know, 2x2=4, 3x3=9, 6x6=36. The same quiz each week. Most of them failed every one. Twelve weeks in a row! As a substitute, I cover everything, even Math. I routinely amaze students with my brilliance! I can multiply 6x7 in my head!! i actually had a kid ask me: "what's 8+4?" When I answered that it is 12, he checked it on the calculator!! I am NOT joking.
Wow April, I didn't realise the stuation was that bad BTW since this is turning into a nice discussion I moving it to the Village Square forum.
When I started homeschooling my boys, my youngest was in the sixth grade and didn't know his multiplication facts!! After much hard work through both of us, he is now taking Algebra classes! I only homeschooled for a few years but it was the best thing I ever did for him! He just needed a little one on one interaction to get back where he needed to be.
Funny, but there is a backlash against this fad here. Actually, my kids are math wizards and math is pushed very hard in their school system. They have to do way more than what was expected when I was in the same school system 20+ years ago. Must be a geographical thing? I've always believed that you'll get back the level of your expectations though. If you start out expecting a certain level at an early age, the kids don't know the difference, and just do it. My mom taught for 25+ years, so she went through all the "dumbing down" stuff and fought it all the way. Things turned around again here about 10 years ago, and they expect more again. Hopefully it was a fad that will soon pass in more school districts.
The sad fact is our public schools have 'dumbed down' the vast majority of the subjects offered in school. Parents complain about how hard it is for their child and instead of being willing for their child to be put in a basics class so they can learn and then catch up with others in their grade, they harangue the school board members about how it isn't fair that their students are having a hard time and others are not, to the point where schools have decided to teach to the lowest level. All the students suffer then. And yes, there are some teachers who shouldn't be teachering and take the lazy approach to teaching. Some school districts around here can not find enough teachers to fill classrooms because their teaching is restricted in this manner.....that and the pay scale is assinine.
Before I retired I worked retail and I constantly was dealing with people who couldn't do any kind of math without a calculator. COLLEGE students would ask me how much 2 x $1.99 was and would be astounded when added it in my head. Another customer asked how how much 20% of $60 was and refused to believe it was $12 until I showed her on a calculator. Ban calculators. LoreD
Special note to TheBip who said; What you refer to here is a little different; most of us realize that it can be quite frustrating to the clerk for a customer to add more bills/coins to the payment after you've started the ring-up. I'm often adding the coin change to a payment but I'm careful to let the register operator know before they start the ring-up, if I miss or aren't quick enough then I just keep quiet and accept the change that adds more weight to my pocket. Someone also mentioned the possibility that the problem varies geographically; ABSOLUTELY! The local schoolboards and parents working together or at odds with each other determine the quality of education that exists in their particular area. Thanks, folks, for responding to this subject. ........ Hank
