BC Prof Suggests Young Children Need Less Formal Math, Not More 427
DesScorp writes "Professor Peter Gray, a developmental psychologist and researcher at Boston College, recounts an experiment done in New Hampshire schools in 1929, where math was completely taken out of the curriculum of the poorest schools from the area until the sixth grade. The results were surprising; with just one year of math under their belts, the poor students did as well or better than students from better schools by the end of the sixth grade year, despite the fact that the better schools had math in their curriculum all throughout elementary school. Professor Gray thinks children are not mentally wired for the kind of formal math instruction that is taught in schools, and that we'd be better served by putting off the teaching of theory until the seventh grade. He scoffs at the notion that if children are failing with current levels of math instructions then we should double down and make them do more math in school."
I didn't need math... (Score:5, Funny)
I graduated high school at 18 with no math, and I turned out fine. Next year, when I turn 16, I'll be able to drive, finally.
Re:most people arent wired for math (Score:2, Funny)
Re:As someone who was better than average... (Score:4, Funny)
Verbatim also. Verboten? Well it should be.
Re:As someone who was better than average... (Score:5, Funny)
Aaaand you just confused all of these kids.
Re:As someone who was better than average... (Score:3, Funny)
Here in the US, we have an entire state that believes you can teach US history without mentioning Thomas Jefferson, and biology without mentioning evolution.
I think the point of no-return was reached for them some time ago.
Re:As someone who was better than average... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Many other explanations (Score:2, Funny)
"It is humbling to have a PhD in Engineering, and not be able to understand Grade 6 math homework."
Says the civil engineer. Pah!
Re:Or could it be the way they're taught (Score:4, Funny)
Ah, but what you don't realize is that Russian kids who didn't show any promise in math were taken away to special schools, taught in English, where they trained deep cover agents for use in espionage against America. It seems the FBI had learned that aptitude in math was a major red flag.