Math Through The Ages

[eddie]

We're sticking both of our girls in the Japanese school system.

Let us know how that goes. Given my (extremely painful) experience with the language, I'm curious to see how that works out.

How old are they?

 

[SnovTra]

If I tell my mexican roomate a joke about crossing the boarder in a van and he laughs... does that make him racist... hmmmmm

I don't think so just means he has a good sense of humor... lighten up people.

 

[ChunksJR]

If I tell my mexican roomate a joke about crossing the boarder in a van and he laughs... does that make him racist... hmmmmm

I don't think so just means he has a good sense of humor... lighten up people.

Mexicans have made it to Iowa...on purpose?

 

[etsgraham]

The PC-Nazis are now applying pressure to hospitals around the country to have doctors and nurses learn to speak Spanish to communicate better with patients. There has been some heavy resistance, though. But I think if you're going to force people learn to speak Spanish, then you should also have people speaking other languages to achieve the same thing. And the other thing is, are these political groups going to pay for these classes?

 

[HueyCobra8151]

I know America is the greatest country in the world, and we, as Americans are far superior to everyone else...but most other countries have bi-lingual signs all over the place.

/sarcasm off

The case for demanding English first be taught in schools is fine.

Crying because you might happen to glance upon a sign with another language listed on it as well as English is a little ridiculous, especially in places like Airports, etc...

It could be worse, Singapore has at least 4 languages posted on every sign - and they DO have an official language (English).

 

[Fred]

Agree. Parents need to be more resourceful, yet they are the ones who fail to grasp the language, leaving their kids to become the translators of the family



First, isn't there base schooling? My wife went to school at Kinnick in Yokosuka. Second, sounds like a good experiment if they become fluent in japanese.

Our oldest daughter went to 3rd and 4th grade in a Japanese school. It was very rough at first, but she did learn Japanese. She wasn’t totally fluent in speaking but she was in understanding. We sent her to Japanese Saturday school in CA also…unfortunately when we moved to VA we couldn’t find anything similar. They offered Japanese when she was in 8th grade, but by that time she was taking Spanish 2, and decided in the long run it would be more beneficial.

 

[cosmania]

Yo quiero Taco Bell

 

[Fly Navy]

It could be worse, Singapore has at least 4 languages posted on every sign - and they DO have an official language (English).

They have four official languages... English, Malay, Tamil, and... I can't remember the other one... Chinese? That's why you see 4 different languages on their signs.

And I LOVE Singapore... what a great place.

But, back to the discussion...

The flaw in the system is the fact that public schools are catering to laziness. They refuse to teach these children English. The English as Second Language programs are all but a joke in most schools. Look, it's not just a English/Spanish thing... look at what schools have done with regards to standardized testing, etc. They cater to the LOWEST common denominator. Here is a hard fact... children with no real expectations, which is what you're starting to see, will FAIL at life.

 

[skim]

Blame the administrators, not the teachers. Thats what I say.

 

[Fly Navy]

Blame the administrators, not the teachers. Thats what I say.

From the crap that public school teachers are teaching today... I blame them too.

 

[skim]

I think that there is a lot of focus on teachers this, and teachers that, but there is a larger picture that includes parents not taking responsibilty to have their children be responsible, and the administrators who need to focus less on graduation numbers and actually back up the teachers. What ends up happening (as in the case of my wife and her dept/school) is the teachers being hamstrung between irresponsible students who have no interest being there, parents who dont enforce educational values, and administrators who don't want to deal with it and push it all back on the teachers. Administrators create rules and policies, then do not enforce them, then get upset if the teachers fail to enforce the rules. There is a problem with the top that trickles down.

 

[Fly Navy]

You're right, it's not JUST one thing causing the problem. Parents aren't involved in their kids education, schools are teaching to the lowest common denominator, and the government is failing us in terms of setting a sound education policy. They've been failing us for years, this isn't a Bush thing or whatever. I learned my high school did away with class ranking so as not to hurt the self-esteem of the students. WTF? They also don't have a Valedictorian either. Wow, those kids are SET for failure.

 

[skim]

My wife teaches math. Her department has one of the highest fail rates, not because the teachers can't teach, its because math is the least objective and the students are not 'coddled'. Other departments were complaining about this to them at a meeting. Nevermind the fact she has students who come into freshman level algrebra not knowing the times tables, thereby having to have her stop the lesson to explain that 2(12) is the same as 12(2).

 

[Rg9]

Hahaha! That was hilarious. I'd tell it to multi-ethnic, whatever,... coworkers if I could speak Spanish.

 

[Fly Navy]

My wife teaches math. Her department has one of the highest fail rates, not because the teachers can't teach, its because math is the least objective and the students are not 'coddled'. Other departments were complaining about this to them at a meeting. Nevermind the fact she has students who come into freshman level algrebra not knowing the times tables, thereby having to have her stop the lesson to explain that 2(12) is the same as 12(2).

Do you mean least subjective? That's why I've always loved Math... you can't fake it.