There's an article in the New York Times that caught my eye, mainly because I was one of those unfortunate souls who suffered mightily at the hands of the Algebra Gods in high school.
Andrew Hacker's essay about the staggering effects of our insistence on requiring algebra in high school hit a nerve with this blogger.
I took four years of high school algebra. Flunked Algebra I, took it my sophomore year and earned a charity "D" from a teacher who had mercy on my ignorant ass. Little did she know I would be forced to sign up for Algebra II the following year and that she would have to put up with me again. I flunked Algebra II with even worse scores than I'd brought home the first two years. My senior year saw me suffering through Algebra II a second time, again dragging home a "D" I probably didn't deserve.
I'm not an idiot. I'm actually pretty decent with numbers. But for some reason, when the numbers are mixed in with half of the alphabet and strange symbols are tossed into the soup for added confusion, my mind just locks up. You might as well be screaming at me in Hungarian.
Here's what made it even worse for me: Whenever I asked the adults (who insisted I would need algebra) to give me one good example of how it was necessary in their adult lives after school, all I got for an answer was "Well, it's a requirement, so you have to take it."
WTF? Now, I'm not blasting mathematics. Kids HAVE to learn basic mathematics skills, and more advanced courses in geometry and trig will have to have a basis in algebraic ability. If someone is employed as a tool and dye maker, or an architect, I can see why mastering algebra would be essential to those occupations. But why is it required of all high schoolers?
Here are some boring ol' numbers for you taken from Hacker's article: one out of every four 9th graders in America fails to receive a high school diploma. In South Carolina, 34% dropped out in 2008-9. In Nevada that percentage was 45%. One of the primary reasons for the high rates of failure? Algebra. National transcripts show that math courses account for twice as many "D"s and "F"s as any other subject.
Schools now require exit exams, and almost all of them contain an algebra component. Don't pass the exam, you don't graduate. 33% of high school seniors in Oklahoma fail the exit exam. That number is 35% in West Virginia.
Here's another stat you can ignore: only 58% of college students manage to earn a bachelor's degree. The primary drop out cause? Mathematics, with algebra being the main culprit.
How many kids who might have excelled at subjects other than math have been denied high school diplomas or a chance to attend a college or university because of their struggles with algebra? How many writers, historians, sociologists, or biologists have seen their dreams crushed because of a math course they probably never would have needed in the real world?
Personally, I've never once had the need to break out an algebra formula in my adult life.
Not once. I don't know anyone who has, actually.
And yet, there it is. Required. Like oxygen. You pass these mandatory torture sessions or you don't pass go and you don't get the $200. No college for you! Line up at the unemployment office, we'll see if we can find you something in fast food in a year or two.
Isn't it time we removed this ridiculous stumbling block and allowed our kids to reach their potential? I'm not trying to dumb down our school systems. God knows, that would be hard to do. But in the case of algebra, maybe it's time we took a long hard look at the devastating effects that requirement has taken on our schools' graduation rates.
If I'm wrong about this, I'd love to hear the reasoning.
16 comments:
Hell yes!
We make kids take Algebra because the people making the rules had to take Algebra. It's always been this way.
In college, I negotiated with the dean to take a graduate level Logic course instead of a beginning Algebra course to satisfy my Mathematics requirement.
But now, when I have to deal with numbers, I am fine. Other people seem to have a darn tough time understanding %'s (or simple division), but I get by fine.
Algebra I wasn't really a problem, I managed to pass it. Then came Geometry and a teacher that couldn't explain math. In Geometry I usually was able to comprehend each chapter right before the big test on it, but with no help from the teacher. Same teacher for Algebra II and the same problem. Didn't take any more math after barely passing Algebra II with a D.
I think my problem was you have to take it on faith that the formulas work. I needed proof which the teacher couldn't provide, I don't take anything on faith. I have a feeling that math wasn't her area of expertise!! The basketball coach that taught Algebra I did a better job and he was in over his head.
Like I said, someone needs to give me an example of the necessity of algebra in real life. I can understand it being required for certain occupations, but how often does a factory worker, English teacher, or baker need algebra?
To make it a requirement for a diploma seems like an arbitrary way of weeding out (otherwise) good students. If algebra is the reason our drop out rates are high, and it isn't necessary to KNOW algebra to function in life, why do we require it?
I don't think they should dump algebra, and by the way I made a D in it too. I think many can benefit. I am of the belief kids that drop out as a result of the seeds planted in 5th or 6th grade. Studies indicate if they are far behind at that stage, have crap family situation, or serious behavior problems at that point, they will not finish high school. Attack it then and most survive.
I have lots of Catholic friends who brag their school is better, few drop outs, higher SAT etc. But, let one of their students fail a class or turn up a raft of D's and they turn them out to public schools. Other religiosity businesses do the same, more burden for public schools, less for them. It sucks.
Fringe, I'm not saying it shouldn't be taught, maybe not required. Algebra is critical to a lot of higher math sciences, and obviously it should be available for the kids who want to pursue those majors.
And you're right about the drop out problems beginning early.
Algebra is not the end-all be-all in itself. Think of it a just a tool that can help explain and work out problems in chemistry, physics and economics just to name a few sciences.
I think they should offer different 'streams' for students with different interests and abilities. A lot of drop-outs would stay in if they could study subjects of interest to them. And not be forced into classes that they have no interest in/use for.
@notacynic: Libs love to bitch about the US' educational standing in math and sciences when compared to the rest of the world. They use it as an agitprop tool to endless pour our tax dollars down the black hole of education. They way they keep getting to do it is by letting kids opt out of stuff but then turn around and bitch about the kids not being able to perform and beg for more tax money. It's ironic but in Asian and European countries there is no question to them that they need to learn math and sciences. They just don't have as many opportunities to apply these learned skills to make money in their countries. Here there is plenty of oppurtunitiy to make the money the education would provide, but many of the kids don't want to learn &/or the teachers are incapable of teaching the subject.
So, (theo) your point is ... ?
notacynic, I'm afraid I'll have to apologize for Theo. He's made his last comment on this blog.
He's forever banned, as if this moment. The comment above has nothing to do with this exile, for the record.
He's sent one of those rightwing racist email forwards to my email address, and I suppose thought it was funny as hell.
Sorry, but you'll have to engage this asshole on your own site, because he won't be posting on this one again after the photo I just received.
OK. I wasn't actually looking to engage him, anyway. Just giving him a chance to make sense of his mini-rant.
Squat- I completely disagree. Algebra is used all the time, by everyone, in everyday life. Algebra is used in the most basic science equations, all the way up to the most difficult. I think the reason you are having a problem, is because you look at algebra as numbers and letters. That would be pretty useless. But what you don't see, is how algebra trains our minds to create basic formulas. Formulas that help us perform the most mundane tasks.
Need to calculate the gas mileage from your house to mine? Algebra
Need to know how many servings in a liter if Coke? Algebra
Deciding which is the best cell phone provider with all the different services offered? Algebra
Yes, I did get an A in algebra. Now Trigonometry? That's useless, but I got an A in that also. Only because the teacher was SO HOT. Needless to say I thought about her numerous nights,LOLOLOLOLO. Geometry? Useless again, unless you want to hustle pool for a living.
I would like to see Economic classes as a requirement for High School kids, for obvious reasons.
In closing, I disagree with the opinion of Mr. Hacker. Their are numerous reasons that kids drop out of High School. We might be able to figure them out, but that would require time, and a little bit of ALGEBRA. :)
Fringe- Next time your friend brags about their child's Catholic school education, I want you to remember one thing. Catholic Schools are a "Private" organization. That means that they do not have to follow the same mandates and guidelines set forth by the state, for the public school system. Trust me, public school is much harder than Catholic school, academically speaking. I've attended both.
I send my kid to Catholic School for one reason. I don't want to explain to my eight year old what a metal detector is. Hope that helps a little.
Notacynic- I respect your opinion, but the problem is that we really can't let these kids decide for themselves. You can't offer them too many different "Streams", because they have no idea what they will end up doing with their lives. You can have a kid whose a complete idiot in high school, turn out to be a damn genius, and end up coming up with different scientific formulas that eventually cure cancer.
Take a kid like me, National Honors Society, all throughout High School. Graduated top 5 of my class with 4 college credits already under my belt. Now I'm a Union tile setter who drinks too much. LOLOLOLOLO
My point is that you have to have a basic curriculum, that all kids must attend. In my opinion, Algebra should be included.
JOB: well written. I'll have to think about your position(s)...
But they keep holding these Olympic races and I'm busy as hell doing the algebra to factor in the odds...
Later!
Squatlo; Algebra encourages critical thinking skills, it is necessary if you are going to understand physics and chemistry - Most of the technologies you come in contact with in your everyday life required algebra for their existence. I think Algebra II (perhaps) should not be a requirement...But I really don't see it as the cause for school drop out.
I have also restricted theo's comments from my blog...I don't mind conflicting views, but not his level of hatred and contention - he goes way over the line.
the Ol'Buzzard
JOB, I think you missed my point. But I suppose I didn't explain it very fully, did I? There would be a lot more than just 'student choice' involved.
If I may belatedly share my observations here, good mathematicians are often terrible teachers, and university math departments don't want to graduate teachers, they want to graduate mathematicians. If the numerically-challenged among us have to suffer, so be it.
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