Algebra and Geometry now required for High School graduation! What do you think?

[Samson]

I went to my daughter's orientation for incoming Freshmen at her high school. They mentioned that new standards required the completion of Algebra and Geometry for High School graduation.

I was surprised. When I went to school we took those courses as prereqs for college. Now, my kids are all pretty good to excellent at math. One of my sons won 12th place in the State Math bowl, and is basically a math genius.

But, what use, actually, is it for many people to know geometry and algebra? Some people struggle in math, in spite of being very capable.

I wonder, also, if High School has not become too college-prep oriented. One of my sons went to Technical College and has done very well in the Refrigeration/Heating/Air Conditioning field, making good money. What about so many other fields of endeavor that our High Schools seem to ignore?

What do you all think of this subject?

Stop telling your kids Geometry and Algebra are hard. They are not. They are as useful as figuring gas mileage and knowing how much paint to cover the outside of your house. A few simple rules. Easier than adding a colume of numbers. People use simple rules every day. Do you use your toaster to open a can of chili? Simple rule...use the can opener. Same thing.

See, Huggy could teach Geometry and Algebra in a Public School.

Have you considered it?

 

[HUGGY]

I went to my daughter's orientation for incoming Freshmen at her high school. They mentioned that new standards required the completion of Algebra and Geometry for High School graduation.

I was surprised. When I went to school we took those courses as prereqs for college. Now, my kids are all pretty good to excellent at math. One of my sons won 12th place in the State Math bowl, and is basically a math genius.

But, what use, actually, is it for many people to know geometry and algebra? Some people struggle in math, in spite of being very capable.

I wonder, also, if High School has not become too college-prep oriented. One of my sons went to Technical College and has done very well in the Refrigeration/Heating/Air Conditioning field, making good money. What about so many other fields of endeavor that our High Schools seem to ignore?

What do you all think of this subject?

Stop telling your kids Geometry and Algebra are hard. They are not. They are as useful as figuring gas mileage and knowing how much paint to cover the outside of your house. A few simple rules. Easier than adding a colume of numbers. People use simple rules every day. Do you use your toaster to open a can of chili? Simple rule...use the can opener. Same thing.

See, Huggy could teach Geometry and Algebra in a Public School.

Have you considered it?

Children are annoying. It's all I can do to talk to you guys!

 

[Samson]

Because my parents moved one summer when I was away from home, .....

POOR FOXFYRE!!!!

Were you able to track them down after they escaped?

 

[jillian]

Well, you are extraordinary, regardless of whatever program public school may have offered.

awwww... shucks. lol..

you're just sayin' that.

To an extent....but in a broader sense, I'm serious: The very small fraction of the population that passes through public high school to excel in colleges and universities, and then to become the most productive citizens, often are the product of circumstance and excellent genetics that impart both emotional and intellectual intelligence.

These qualities are quite independent of public school offerings.

see, i don't see anything i did as that big a deal because everyone around me was doing the same things. there wasn't any question of us finishing high school. there wasn't any question of us going to college. there wasn't any question that we'd be professionals of some sort. it was pretty much expected. so my theory is that kids meet expectations when they are stretched far but not so far they're broken and when they have confidence in themselves in that regard.

so perhaps my view of public school education is a bit out of the ordinary. my favorite teacher in high school used to say it was something in the water in brooklyn. lol.

 

[Samson]

awwww... shucks. lol..

you're just sayin' that.

To an extent....but in a broader sense, I'm serious: The very small fraction of the population that passes through public high school to excel in colleges and universities, and then to become the most productive citizens, often are the product of circumstance and excellent genetics that impart both emotional and intellectual intelligence.

These qualities are quite independent of public school offerings.

see, i don't see anything i did as that big a deal because everyone around me was doing the same things. there wasn't any question of us finishing high school. there wasn't any question of us going to college. there wasn't any question that we'd be professionals of some sort. it was pretty much expected. so my theory is that kids meet expectations when they are stretched far but not so far they're broken and when they have confidence in themselves in that regard.

so perhaps my view of public school education is a bit out of the ordinary. my favorite teacher in high school used to say it was something in the water in brooklyn. lol.

I pretty much shared your experience. Only having the perspective of working in the system did I understand what actually happened: First, realise that what we saw, was seen through the eyes of adolescents, notorious for self-absorbed myoptic vision. If we noticed what happened around us further than 20 feet away, it was an event of amazing perception.

We were grouped, either by nature or systematic design with students with similar traits, and we were completely oblivious of 90% of the rest of the school's population.

As a Teacher, you begin to ....."appreciate" to use an euphamism, the rest of the population, or you quit. Some run screaming away in hysterics, SHOCKED by the unwashed masses crouded into their Geometry class.

 

[manu1959]

well i took algebra in the 7th and 8th grade and geometry in 9th then calculus and the was in the 70's....

buck up....

 

[jillian]

I pretty much shared your experience. Only having the perspective of working in the system did I understand what actually happened: First, realise that what we saw, was seen through the eyes of adolescents, notorious for self-absorbed myoptic vision. If we noticed what happened around us further than 20 feet away, it was an event of amazing perception.

We were grouped, either by nature or systematic design with students with similar traits, and we were completely oblivious of 90% of the rest of the school's population.

As a Teacher, you begin to ....."appreciate" to use an euphamism, the rest of the population, or you quit. Some run screaming away in hysterics, SHOCKED by the unwashed masses crouded into their Geometry class.

There's probably a lot of truth to that. Never having taught, I don't know how much truth.I suspect it could have just been the neighborhood in which i grew up had families in it who were similar in nature.

What I can say as a parent to a child getting ready to test for high school, the fear of not being able to keep your child cloistered among academically similar kids is pretty overwhelming at times.

As to the math issue, though, sadly, the last math class i ever took was trigonometry in my junior year of high school. i've always been sorry that i had a pre-determined idea that it wasn't something that would be useful for me.

 

[geauxtohell]

I went to my daughter's orientation for incoming Freshmen at her high school. They mentioned that new standards required the completion of Algebra and Geometry for High School graduation.

I was surprised. When I went to school we took those courses as prereqs for college. Now, my kids are all pretty good to excellent at math. One of my sons won 12th place in the State Math bowl, and is basically a math genius.

But, what use, actually, is it for many people to know geometry and algebra? Some people struggle in math, in spite of being very capable.

I wonder, also, if High School has not become too college-prep oriented. One of my sons went to Technical College and has done very well in the Refrigeration/Heating/Air Conditioning field, making good money. What about so many other fields of endeavor that our High Schools seem to ignore?

What do you all think of this subject?

Thank God.

If you can't do algebra, you don't deserve a H.S. diploma.

 

[Samson]

Stop telling your kids Geometry and Algebra are hard. They are not. They are as useful as figuring gas mileage and knowing how much paint to cover the outside of your house. A few simple rules. Easier than adding a colume of numbers. People use simple rules every day. Do you use your toaster to open a can of chili? Simple rule...use the can opener. Same thing.

See, Huggy could teach Geometry and Algebra in a Public School.

Have you considered it?

Children are annoying. It's all I can do to talk to you guys!

Hey, you get a full two MONTHS off during the summer, and a week for Fall break, TWO WEEKS for Christmas, and another week for Spring break, plus all sorts of ridiculous "Teacher Work Days" and Federal Holidays.......plenty of time to still post on USMB!!!

 

[HUGGY]

HuGGY's Algebra/Geometry class...

First day. HUGGY addresses students.

"I don't like you either!.... Let's make this as brief as possible."

"To prevent you from appearing foolish in front of your boyfiends/girlfriends by being constantly cheated out of what little money you have you will first learn to count...IE add. Good! Now to know how much you have left after you have wasted some of your money you will learn how to subtract. You have less than you did a few minutes ago..Good!

You have been told to mow the lawn. You need to figure out how long this hellish chore will take so you can get together with you stupid friends. Good! Now you understand geometry.

You want to know how much you can make by taking a front of a pound of weed and break it down to dime bags and pay off your dealer. Didn't take long right? Good! You understand algerba. Good! Class dismissed! Now go away."

 

[Samson]

What I can say as a parent to a child getting ready to test for high school, the fear of not being able to keep your child cloistered among academically similar kids is pretty overwhelming at times.

heh......its no less overwhelming for teachers.

Some teachers appreciate keeping children "cloistered among similar kids"

Note, I have omitted "academically."

Perhaps you already know why..............?

 

[Madeline]

awwww... shucks. lol..

you're just sayin' that.

To an extent....but in a broader sense, I'm serious: The very small fraction of the population that passes through public high school to excel in colleges and universities, and then to become the most productive citizens, often are the product of circumstance and excellent genetics that impart both emotional and intellectual intelligence.

These qualities are quite independent of public school offerings.

see, i don't see anything i did as that big a deal because everyone around me was doing the same things. there wasn't any question of us finishing high school. there wasn't any question of us going to college. there wasn't any question that we'd be professionals of some sort. it was pretty much expected. so my theory is that kids meet expectations when they are stretched far but not so far they're broken and when they have confidence in themselves in that regard.

so perhaps my view of public school education is a bit out of the ordinary. my favorite teacher in high school used to say it was something in the water in brooklyn. lol.

My kidlet later told me she was astounded when, in her senior year of HS, other kids told her college was optional. She had been raised to believe it was mandatory....in our family, it is.

I grew up in NY as well, and I still think it's the best public ed system in the country. That regents' diploma nearly killed me -- especially the math -- but at the time, we also had a very strong voc ed track and those kids were clearly working their asses off to graduate as well.

How hard math is for any kid is (in part) a function of their anxiety level (I am not good in math, blah blah blah) and the teacher they have. I had a new one half-way through Geometry and immediately ceased learning what had been fairly easy stuff to digest.

 

[Samson]

To an extent....but in a broader sense, I'm serious: The very small fraction of the population that passes through public high school to excel in colleges and universities, and then to become the most productive citizens, often are the product of circumstance and excellent genetics that impart both emotional and intellectual intelligence.

These qualities are quite independent of public school offerings.

see, i don't see anything i did as that big a deal because everyone around me was doing the same things. there wasn't any question of us finishing high school. there wasn't any question of us going to college. there wasn't any question that we'd be professionals of some sort. it was pretty much expected. so my theory is that kids meet expectations when they are stretched far but not so far they're broken and when they have confidence in themselves in that regard.

so perhaps my view of public school education is a bit out of the ordinary. my favorite teacher in high school used to say it was something in the water in brooklyn. lol.

My kidlet later told me she was astounded when, in her senior year of HS, other kids told her college was optional. She had been raised to believe it was mandatory....in our family, it is.

I grew up in NY as well, and I still think it's the best public ed system in the country. That regents' diploma nearly killed me -- especially the math -- but at the time, we also had a very strong voc ed track and those kids were clearly working their asses off to graduate as well.

How hard math is for any kid is (in part) a function of their anxiety level (I am not good in math, blah blah blah) and the teacher they have. I had a new one half-way through Geometry and immediately ceased learning what had been fairly easy stuff to digest.

Math is a language that very few speak, but everyone listens to

 

[lizzie]

I think it's a good idea. When I was in high school (in the Dark Ages) we had to have two years of algebra or one of algebra and one of geometry. It doesn't sound to me like standards have risen at all, but this would make it the same as 35 years ago. No problem with that imo.

 

[rdean]

I can't believe what I'm hearing.

I graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School in California in the 60's.
I had to take Algebra 1 in the 7th grade.
Geometry in the 8th.
Algebra II in the 9th
and Elementary Functions in the 10th.
Chemistry, biology and physiology were required.

When I went into the Service, I was 82 Charlie, which is a "forward observer". The main "weapon" was a "theodolite". The "job" was nothing but geometry.

The burning question is, if you are going to grade school and high school and don't take math, what is it you do take? Why even go?

 

[American Horse]

Algebra enables the individual to reduce mathematical questions into formulae so as to much more readily distill out an answer. There is a discipline to algebra that is probably unmatched by other courses in high school. The answers are in the back of the book, but mean nothing to those who don't pursue those answers by learning and correctly following the theorems; answers must be proven, not just copied from the back pages.

Algebra combined with geometry and trigonometry (less so trig) prepares many a student for technical work after high-school if they choose not to pursue higher education. Though it wasn't required I had five semesters of both algebra and geometry, and some trig, physics and chemistry. After 4-years military service (as a communicator/cryptogropher) I was able to move into a job as an industrial engineer in a major US corporation without a formal degree, and get full engineer status after four years of OJT.

Later as a land developer and builder, I felt that nothing served me as well as my algebra and geometry, which I used almost every day, and still do at least once a week.

The concept of mathematics seems to have been "downgraded" over the years such that today we say "do the math" when we actually mean to "do the arithmetic." This phrase suggests that people are doing mathematics when they do simple adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, which are just the basics to math, not math at all. It's a little like thinking of astrology as astronomy, or that galaxies might be reachable. it's a failure of the sense of proportion, and proportion is the basis for all sound judgements.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I can't believe what I'm hearing.

I graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School in California in the 60's.
I had to take Algebra 1 in the 7th grade.
Geometry in the 8th.
Algebra II in the 9th
and Elementary Functions in the 10th.
Chemistry, biology and physiology were required.

When I went into the Service, I was 82 Charlie, which is a "forward observer". The main "weapon" was a "theodolite". The "job" was nothing but geometry.

The burning question is, if you are going to grade school and high school and don't take math, what is it you do take? Why even go?

You make me glad I went to school in Texas, because those asshole right wingers hate education.

I studied algebra in 5th grade, was doing basic trig in 6th. I had to do it again in high school, but had the option of taking them both at the same time. I was learning calculus during my sophomore year because the class was so small they stuck it into the same room as the trig class. By the time I was a senior I was doing independent study (computer programming) and taking a college level freshman chemistry and advanced physics. I do not accurately remember the graduation requirements, but I am pretty sure it involved both algebra and geometry, even if I thought those particular classes were grade school level courses.

Hurray for the 6% of scientists that actually use their brains.

 

[Foxfyre]

Because my parents moved one summer when I was away from home, .....

POOR FOXFYRE!!!!

Were you able to track them down after they escaped?

Yeah. They couldn't elude me forever. I used to like to say they sent me to the store for a loaf of bread and moved while I was gone.

My brother-in-law, RIP, was a brilliant football coach and later distinguished himself as a beloved highschool principle and then Superintendent of Schools. But in one school when he was coaching, he was required to teach at least one academic class. And because he had a minor in math--how he got it I don't have a clue and never asked--he was given a first year algebra class to teach. He didn't know the first thing about algebra and my sister was also terrible in math. So there I was, a tenth grader one year out of algebra myself, making out his lesson plans, putting together quizes and exams, and grading his papers.

I am proud to say though that at least two of those kids I got to help teach back then are now PhDs in the sciences. So I guess we didn't ruin them for life.

 

[L.K.Eder]

algebra and geometry!

what's next?

gramma?

 

[Luissa]

I think we had to have Algebra.
I know I took Algebra and Geometry. I suck at graphing.