Fifty Years of Math 1959 - 2009 (in the USA )

LadyDigger

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Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $ 2 and I was digging for my change when 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 1950s:

1. Teaching Math In 1950s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?

2. Teaching Math In 1960s

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?

3. Teaching Math In 1970s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

4. Teaching Math In 1980s

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.

5. Teaching Math In 1990s

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, and if you feel like crying, it's ok. )

6. Teaching Math In 2009

Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?
 

At least your still talking in Spanish and not Chinese.
 

pigiron said:
At least your still talking in Spanish and not Chinese.

I eher mein Land sprechendes Spanisch und nicht Deutscher!!!

I寧可而不是我的國家講的西班牙語德語!!!

¡I algo mi español y no alemán de discurso del país!!!

I piuttosto il miei Spagnolo e non tedesco parlanti del paese!!!

I rather my country speak Spanish and not German!!! (And my granddaddy is one of the many men who made sure we didn't speak German.)

But there is nothing wrong learning a different language, many if you can. I feel it makes you a more rounded person to be able to communicate with others. I can only speak very little of some languages, nothing fluent.

But this joke is NOT about the language, it's about the Math!!! :tongue3:

How many ways can 1 + 1 = 2? I swear they always come up with a different formula to teach our kids and when we parents try to show our kids how it really is done, we are WRONG!!! What is wrong with this picture? This past year of school was murder...trying to explain to my young son an easier way to add / subtract / divide / multiply, where as the teacher had them doing all these boxes and add this and subtract that....so many steps to get the same answer I was showing my son!
 

Most folks would not believe the way they teach math today.

The student learns a set of steps, but do not understand what they are doing . . . or why it works.

The wording of the problems is such that the student is purposely confused, misled, or indoctrinated (the last problem is not far from the truth).

If a student understands what they are doing, how to get the answer, and why it IS the answer . . . they are criticized in front of the class.

Students are not graded on the answer in many math classes, but on following "the process" prescribed. If the student gets the correct answer from using 3 steps THEY UNDERSTAND, the answer is still considered wrong by the teacher because the process was not followed. The student who uses the 25 steps but gets the wrong answer gets credit for following the "correct procedure". What is wrong with this picture???
 

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