So this is the usual line from NCTM (as from others) stating: 1. We got burned on this once in the 70s. We don't want to get burned again.
2. We're not interested in doing anything to force the issue. We're going to let someone else take the heat. 3. We're going to take the safe position of riding the waves, like a ship without propulsion. Meanwhile, we're going to continue trying to improve our job of doing something that is ineffective, rather like a crew running laps faster and faster on the weather deck of a ship which is dead in the water. Maybe someone will think we're going somewhere. 4. Say what you want, but we're not interested in changing our minds. We're going to ignore what you (and others) say about the negative impact that teaching two systems of measurement has on our student's abilities in math and science. In our reply we won't even try to counter that arguement because that might mean we feel it's worth discussing. In otherwords, we will pretend that the subject has never come up. (Gee, I hope that I don't sound cynical.) Jim Gene Mechtly wrote: > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 06:50:14 -0500 > From: Sandy Berger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Math Within, 2002 January > > Mr. Mechtly, > > I personally concur with your feelings that teaching metric units is essential > for US students to be competitive in an international world. I remember this > same discussion going on in the USA since the seventies..... -- Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!" James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/ 10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
