Reply #17: One problem I have encountered [View All]

[Jose Diablo]

I know this is anecdotal evidence but I think it illustrates one problem with education today.

My youngest son was having problems in Algebra and he asked me for help. He explained he was having trouble understanding the quadratic formula and how it was derived.

I looked into his Algebra book at the section on the quadratic formula then backed up one section fully expecting to see the process for 'completing the square' method for solving equations. Nothing, no completing the square method was there.

I pulled my old Algebra book from the 60's to make sure my memory was intact. Yep, it was there but in the new book the school selected to teach algebra it was not there.

Using my book, I explained completing the square method, helped him solve a few questions and then had him solve the general form into quadratic formula.

My next door neighbors were science and history teachers in the local school system. I took both the old and new books to show them the omission. They were surprised but explained the omission away as maybe this was something the teacher explained in class or something the student was supposed to figure out on their own.

I don't think so, I think the school system just expected the students to memorize the formula without understanding how to derive the formula. Or somebody got a kick-back from to book publisher to use this book.

When I hear of teaching 'directed' evolution (faith based) on the same confidence level as evolution (science based), I have no doubts our education system is failing our children. The experience with algebra confirms my low opinion of our education system.

We are paying good money for what should be the best education system in the world and we are not getting it.

I suspect teachers are really bummed about what they wanted to do when they became teachers, and the reality of the system as it exists today.

We hear the politicians posturing about bad teachers or students, but never hear any criticism of the books used. Its always throw more money at the schools to solve the problems. I doubt anyone knows what its all about. What a circus.