2000-12-08
The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran an article on the same topic a few days ago.
What these goons don't seem to comprehend is learning math/science without
SI is like trying to study Russian Literature without knowing Russian. Yes,
you can read translations, but translations don't always convey the same
idea. Something is always missing.
The other thing that is wrong is that students don't have an out-of-school
working knowledge of SI. They may learn SI in the early years, like 4-th
grade, but by 8-th grade they are taught to use FFU as their primary
measurement system. SI is now a nuisance, as you always have to make the
effort to convert to 'merican. Students starting to study the sciences in
junior high and high school see SI in the books, but can't relate it to
their short lived experiences. So, they do poorly.
And since so much time in math teaching is spent on fractions, other more
important fundamentals are neglected. This is a real waste of time and
effort. By the time the student "graduates" high school, most don't have a
clue about working in fractions. They are no better of then if they were
taught nothing.
And as long as this situation continues, the results will be poor.
John
Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der sich irrt�mlich
glaubt frei zu sein.
There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they
are free!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, 2000-12-07 21:13
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:9618] Re:
http://www.accessatlanta.com/shared/mod_perl/search/unified_s...
In a message dated 2000-12-07 20:42:00 Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> I cannot help but think that lack of knowledge of SI contributed to the
poor
> scores as well as general American innumerancy.
>
> Norm
>
Especially since the article I read on this in The Washington Post
indicated
that an inordinately large amount of time was spent teaching US
students --
fractions.
Carleton
