Comments on: But I Don’t Need the Quadratic Equation… http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/ Freelance Writing, Personal Development, and Making Money with Freelance Writer Michael Kwan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:38:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: cynte415 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-70007 cynte415 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:34:46 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-70007 Yes! Yes! A slightly late reply but I just happened to come across this and this is exactly the post I wanted! Being a math/science student, I naturally feel that quantitative reasoning is important in society. But just think... what if math were an elective? Then there would be people in society who may not know how to solve equations. 2x+6=7. No idea. Do we want that kind of society? I don't think so. I want to blog about calculating interest or whatever and have my readers understand what I'm doing when I am dividing or converting to decimals. When TIME reports statistics in its articles, it expects that the readers can interpret the data with their prior knowledge in math. Every educated person should have basic mathematics in their knowledge base, as well as the logic it requires. Yes! Yes! A slightly late reply but I just happened to come across this and this is exactly the post I wanted! Being a math/science student, I naturally feel that quantitative reasoning is important in society.

But just think… what if math were an elective? Then there would be people in society who may not know how to solve equations. 2x+6=7. No idea. Do we want that kind of society? I don’t think so. I want to blog about calculating interest or whatever and have my readers understand what I’m doing when I am dividing or converting to decimals. When TIME reports statistics in its articles, it expects that the readers can interpret the data with their prior knowledge in math. Every educated person should have basic mathematics in their knowledge base, as well as the logic it requires.

]]> By: The Mathematics of Finding Success « Beyond the Rhetoric http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-69568 The Mathematics of Finding Success « Beyond the Rhetoric Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:04:58 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-69568 [...] whether you will be successful. You don’t have to get caught up in the complexities of the quadratic equation, but you will need to understand some basic arithmetic. At least, that’s what Joshua Denney [...] [...] whether you will be successful. You don’t have to get caught up in the complexities of the quadratic equation, but you will need to understand some basic arithmetic. At least, that’s what Joshua Denney [...]

]]> By: In the Sphere: Success Edition | BlueFur.com http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-69412 In the Sphere: Success Edition | BlueFur.com Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:55:35 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-69412 [...] like engineering and accounting, tend to make more money that those that don’t. This echoes a sentiment that I had, saying that math plays a role in our lives, even if it is indirect. For instance, math [...] [...] like engineering and accounting, tend to make more money that those that don’t. This echoes a sentiment that I had, saying that math plays a role in our lives, even if it is indirect. For instance, math [...]

]]> By: In The Sphere: Happy Easter Weekend | BlueFur.com http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68208 In The Sphere: Happy Easter Weekend | BlueFur.com Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:07:18 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68208 [...] cheat at blogging if you want to do that, but let’s not forget that even bloggers still need math and English to [...] [...] cheat at blogging if you want to do that, but let’s not forget that even bloggers still need math and English to [...]

]]> By: In The Sphere: Ownership and Public Nudity | BlueFur.com http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68153 In The Sphere: Ownership and Public Nudity | BlueFur.com Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:01:15 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68153 [...] marketing, photography, and creative writing. We probably shouldn’t be surprised to see that algebra and calculus didn’t make the [...] [...] marketing, photography, and creative writing. We probably shouldn’t be surprised to see that algebra and calculus didn’t make the [...]

]]> By: Ray Ebersole http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68149 Ray Ebersole Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:07:27 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68149 As an IT support in a middle school seeing the students, parents and teachers everyday I believe that we are catering to the parents in the case you point out Allen. We send agenda books home daily that parents have to sign, they have parent conferences at least once a quarter. As educators we need to properly educate, not pander to parents. We need to communicate as best as we can with the parents. The parents need to face the facts that they are responsible for their child or children; we are responsible for giving them the best education we can. It has to be fair and equitable, if it's not then we are not doing our part as educators. As an IT support in a middle school seeing the students, parents and teachers everyday I believe that we are catering to the parents in the case you point out Allen.

We send agenda books home daily that parents have to sign, they have parent conferences at least once a quarter. As educators we need to properly educate, not pander to parents. We need to communicate as best as we can with the parents. The parents need to face the facts that they are responsible for their child or children; we are responsible for giving them the best education we can.

It has to be fair and equitable, if it’s not then we are not doing our part as educators.

]]> By: But I Don’t Need William Shakespeare… « Beyond the Rhetoric http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68148 But I Don’t Need William Shakespeare… « Beyond the Rhetoric Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:00:49 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68148 [...] we started our discussion on why math shouldn’t be an elective and why even the quadratic equation can be useful years after graduation. Today, we continue the [...] [...] we started our discussion on why math shouldn’t be an elective and why even the quadratic equation can be useful years after graduation. Today, we continue the [...]

]]> By: Allen http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68147 Allen Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:55:20 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68147 I think Richard hit the nail on the head. As a teacher I can tell you that parents expect A's on their child's report card. Even though, in the key on the report card, it still says that A=Excellent, B=Above Average, C=Average, etc; they expect A's from the students. For some students, if they get a B on their report card, the parents are raising heck about why they weren't notified about their child's progress. This has caused enormous grade inflation...to the point that our district is finally asking "if so many students have such high grades, why aren't those students doing well on the state tests every spring?" I think it's a valuable question. When we have 15-20% of our students making honor roll (3.5 and up gpa) and honorable mention (3.0-3.49 gpa), why do we have less than 10% scoring proficient (supposedly at grade level) and advanced (above grade level) on the state test? Two words: Grade Inflation. When I was in school, B's were still considered a good score and I was happy with C's in some of my harder classes. Now, C's are nearly considered failing for some parents and only A's are considered acceptable...this is at the middle school level! I think Richard hit the nail on the head. As a teacher I can tell you that parents expect A’s on their child’s report card. Even though, in the key on the report card, it still says that A=Excellent, B=Above Average, C=Average, etc; they expect A’s from the students. For some students, if they get a B on their report card, the parents are raising heck about why they weren’t notified about their child’s progress. This has caused enormous grade inflation…to the point that our district is finally asking “if so many students have such high grades, why aren’t those students doing well on the state tests every spring?” I think it’s a valuable question. When we have 15-20% of our students making honor roll (3.5 and up gpa) and honorable mention (3.0-3.49 gpa), why do we have less than 10% scoring proficient (supposedly at grade level) and advanced (above grade level) on the state test? Two words: Grade Inflation. When I was in school, B’s were still considered a good score and I was happy with C’s in some of my harder classes. Now, C’s are nearly considered failing for some parents and only A’s are considered acceptable…this is at the middle school level!

]]> By: Ray Ebersole http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68145 Ray Ebersole Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:57:54 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68145 The study I mentioned actually is about how to be good at science is to take more math. It's all based on math. Take math away and you have basically nothing. The study I mentioned actually is about how to be good at science is to take more math. It’s all based on math. Take math away and you have basically nothing.

]]> By: Jason Landals http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2009/04/02/but-i-dont-need-the-quadratic-equation/#comment-68144 Jason Landals Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:05:40 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/?p=4347#comment-68144 I think this comic pretty sums up the point http://xkcd.com/435/ I think this comic pretty sums up the point

http://xkcd.com/435/

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