tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post115696921952701660..comments2024-03-26T14:44:37.985-04:00Comments on D-Ed Reckoning: My First FanKDeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-63105029616718149122007-02-12T19:07:00.000-05:002007-02-12T19:07:00.000-05:00i also want to add that i was not saying that it w...i also want to add that i was not saying that it was the students fault. Sure, if you have teachers who have ineffective teaching methods, or parents that don't/can't support your education, that affects the way you learn. But students do contribute a huge part to this equation. If a student does not want to learn, than no amount of effective teachers and motivating parents are going to make them get good grades. also, if a student wants to do well on an exam but doesn't take notes, they will still do poorly. the bottom line- you can't be successful if you don't want to or try to, no matter how many people wish you would succeed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-41882356710761110872007-02-12T18:41:00.000-05:002007-02-12T18:41:00.000-05:00hello, this is therese harrah. now that i'm in hig...hello, this is therese harrah. now that i'm in high school i have experienced even more teaching styles (and some students methods). and now that i've gotten over pre-teen angst (lol. i was pretty touchy then), i can see you do have a point. i'm so sorry for my snotty letter and hope you continue to keep posting your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-1158807169584878892006-09-20T22:52:00.000-04:002006-09-20T22:52:00.000-04:00Hi MikeZI was referring to this line "She also thi...Hi MikeZ<BR/><BR/>I was referring to this line "She also thinks there's a big fear of math out there that students could overcome by ..."<BR/><BR/>I'm calling this the blame the student meme because Therese is blaming the students fo rtheir fear of math and suggests that they are responsible for overcoming it. The problem lies within them.<BR/><BR/>I don't disagree that Therese's suggestion wouldn't be helpful, especially the breaking down part.<BR/><BR/>I do disagree that the students are the cause of the problem. The most likely source of the problem is inadequate teaching. Most algebra problems are a result of inadequately learned elementary math. At that age the teachers I contend that the schools need to take responsibility for student learning.<BR/><BR/><I>I assume you're looking at the fractions.</I><BR/><BR/>I was actually referring to the post for the proposition that elementary math was the underlying cause of the algebra problems.KDeRosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-1158804630132867172006-09-20T22:10:00.000-04:002006-09-20T22:10:00.000-04:00I'll have to side with Therese on this one. If yo...I'll have to side with Therese on this one. If you read again what she said, you'll see that she said "[students] think it's hard ... but as soon as you ... it's not that hard".<BR/><BR/>I do not see where you got the "she bought the blame the student meme". Is 'second-order differential equations' hard? You bet. So is brain surgery - until you figure out how to do it. You might say that differential equations aren't that hard, if you've got differential and integral calculus down pat. But the argument breaks down somewhere - I cite as an example the recent proof of the 4-color theorem - a long proof that is so difficult to follow that only the writer and maybe one or two other mathematicians can follow. If X is easy provided only that you've done X-1, then we should all be geniuses.<BR/><BR/>Learning is the process of working through the hard stuff until it becomes easy.<BR/><BR/>She said "... taking good notes and following directions...". Just where do you think those come from? From the teacher. That's how teachers teach - by presenting information and methods. The other end of that communications channel is the student, who takes notes, follows directions (the teacher's notes and directions), and with luck, thinks about the notes and directions and asks whatever questions are needed to resolve things not understood.<BR/><BR/>As far as "breaking down the problem", that's how the real advances in the world are made. Newton, for example, broke his problems down to basics. (I leave Newton's methods as an exercize for the reader.) Read Polya's "How to Solve It" - "break it down" is right there at the top of the list.<BR/><BR/>"I'll just point Therese to this post and see if she can figure out the correct solution for herself by breaking down the solution problem into different parts and solving."<BR/><BR/>I assume you're looking at the fractions. Sorry, but that is the level down to which harder problems are solved. My suggested method would be:<BR/><BR/>2/3 + 3/4 = .666666 + .75 = 1.41666 = 1 + .41666 = 1 + 5/12 = 17/12<BR/><BR/>The other one's easier.MikeZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13856948417775902893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-1157133300207383122006-09-01T13:55:00.000-04:002006-09-01T13:55:00.000-04:00Typically what happens first is they want to do a ...Typically what happens first is they want to do a marketing major. Then they find that marketing is probably the most data analysis intensive major in the school (I guess they think if you go into marketing, you sit around drawing up storyboards all day). Then they leave the business school.<BR/><BR/>Business isn't engineering, but it's not a good fit for a mathphobe. And as I'm beginning to discover, not all business schools are created equal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-1157125145754365012006-09-01T11:39:00.000-04:002006-09-01T11:39:00.000-04:00And, then its either drop out or down to some cush...And, then its either drop out or down to some cushy B.A. major.<BR/><BR/>In engineering school we had to take calc, linear algebra, differential equations, statistics and probability, and numerical methods. A regular picnic I tell you.KDeRosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-1157120756191330372006-09-01T10:25:00.000-04:002006-09-01T10:25:00.000-04:00Of course, when he transfers to business school, h...Of course, when he transfers to business school, he'll find himself in the same situation, just with stats and analysis instead of calculus.<BR/><BR/>(-:rightwingprofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419372059353408855noreply@blogger.com