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February 16, 2006
How much math and science do students really need?
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Science and math have zoomed to the top of the nation's education agenda. Yet Amanda Cook, a parent of two school-age girls, can't quite see the urgency.
"In Maine, there aren't many jobs that scream out 'math and science,"' said Cook, who lives in Etna, in the central part of the state. Yes, both topics are important, but "most parents are saying you're better off going to school for something there's a big need for."
Such as?
Nationwide, a new poll shows, many parents are content with the science and math education their children get -- a starkly different view than that held by national leaders.
Fifty-seven percent of parents say "things are fine" with the amount of math and science being taught in their child's public school. High school parents seem particularly content -- 70 percent say their child gets the right amount of science and math.
Of course, the parents probably get their information from the kids.
Students aren't too worried, either, according to the poll released Tuesday by Public Agenda, a public opinion research group that tracks education trends.
Only half of children in grades six to 12 say that understanding sciences and having strong math skills are essential for them to succeed after high school.
Oh dear.
For one thing students in grades 6 through 12 don't know enough math (until maybe grades 11 and 12) to know what they will need to know. Most people think math is arithmetic. Certainly that's what an 8th grader would think. Do I really need to know how to do fractions and percentages to be successful?
Yes, because if you're on the job somewhere and you need to know what 20% of 350 is and you take out a calculator (or worse, say "I don't know"), your boss might think you're not that bright.
Calculus is negotiable. Basic math and science competency is not. Ability to do estimation and mental arithmetic is not negotiable.
There's a lot of stuff beneath the surface of this article that I don't have time to get into tonight. Comments welcome. I'll be happy to come back to this later.
Posted by William Polley at February 16, 2006 01:56 AM
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Comments
I don't understand what the tradeoff is. What's lost by teaching "too much" math?
Posted by: c. at February 16, 2006 10:40 AM
My experience in dealing with high school students and most (not all) college graduates that do not have a degree in the sciences is that their math/science background is very weak to the point that as a hiring manager I would not hire them for even very non-technical positions. And those that have OK math skills may be not have an equally good science background.
rt
Posted by: rtalcott at February 16, 2006 10:56 AM
I frequently run into the problem that students can't solve equations of the form a = b/c. They can solve for a most of the time and b most of the time, but they virtually always solve incorrectly for c. And this is in a class requiring high school algebra as a prerequisite.
This is important in so many ways that I can't begin to enumerate them.
Posted by: Donald A. Coffin at February 16, 2006 11:57 AM
I'm a student and I think that you are right when you say that they don't teach enough math or science. My classmates keep asking the teacher WHY ARE WE TAKING MATH? but it's obvious why (you gave an example about it) . Please have the time to take a look at my blog ( www.theheadsofscience.blogspot.com) . I'll fill it soon, just need some posts( mostly about remarkable people of science biographies) . thanks anyways!
Posted by: Anis at February 16, 2006 12:09 PM
Schools can teach it but only the students can learn it. Is basic competency all we are talking about though? It barely makes for a globally competitive workforce. At the same time, how many positions do you see for math and science graduates? Not many at all. One takes math and science to pursue a graduate degree in it, or one doesn't take it at all. The demand must change for any serious change in supply.
Posted by: Lord at February 16, 2006 12:38 PM
My high school had too much of an emphasis on math and science. Everything else was too easy. My friends in the neighboring (and more suburban) school district were reading much more sophisticated works in their English classes. I think it helped them be more succesful in college. Both math/science and literacy needs to be emphasized.
Posted by: rakehell at February 16, 2006 02:07 PM