2002-02-24 Nobody should be considered qualified to teach any form of measurement in the US unless they are either CMS or CAMS certified. Those who teach math and/or science should be required to be CAMS certified in order to obtain a teaching certificate and all others CMS certified. If a person is CMS certified and decides to move into a teaching position involving math and/or science, then that person must upgrade their certification to CAMS.
A person who does not wish to teach math and/or science at any time of their lives, and only would require to be CMS certified, but chooses to be CAMS certified may do so also. Do you think Sandy would be able to promote the concept of CMS or CAMS certification to the NCTM? I feel such a certification would not only promote the teaching of SI in the schools, but promote the correct usage of SI. It will also give teachers a feel for SI and hopefully promote the positive attitude of SI beyond the classroom. If there are objections, what would they be and why? John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gene Mechtly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, 2002-02-24 14:29 Subject: [USMA:18396] Teaching Units of Measurement (fwd) > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 13:28:02 -0600 (CST) > From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Sandy Berger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Teaching Units of Measurement > > Dear Sandy, > > Here is a deliberately provocative article intended to stimulate > the teaching, understanding, and adoption of SI in the United States. > > Please publish it in the NCTM journal which is most likely to be read > by teachers of units of measurement and measurement skills, K-12. > > Gene Mechtly. > ..................................................................... > > Are You Qualified to Teach Units of Measurement? > > Did you know that in February of 2002, three vendors have lost their > appeals of convictions for failure to use scales calibrated and certified > in grams and kilograms for the legal sale of loose produce in England? > Ounces and pounds are no longer legal units for trade in the UK. > > Did you know that after 2009 *only the SI* shall be legal for trade > between and within every member nation of the European Union? > Furthermore, all exports to the EU must then be labeled *only* in SI. > > Did you know that the inch, foot, yard, ounce, pound, quart, gallon, etc. > are now *defined* in the United States as awkward but nevertheless *exact* > multiples of SI units? These non-SI units no longer have definitions > independent of the SI. > > Can you name the "base units" of the SI? > > Can you name the SI unit of force?; of energy?; of power?; of pressure? > > How many of the SI prefixes can you name and define, including symbols? > > A "system" of units has properties of uniqueness, completeness, and > coherence. Can you explain each of these three properties of a "system" > of units? > > Have you studied "Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the > Internationals System of Units for the United States; Notice" published > by the Government Printing Office in 1998? (www.gpo.gov, Federal Register, > July 28, fr28jy98N) > > Have you studied "The International System of Units (SI), National > Institute of Standards and Technology, Special Publication 330, 2001 > Edition? (www.nist.gov) > > Have you ever visited the Web site of the BIPM? (www.bipm.fr) > > If your answers to most of these questions are negative, there is reasonable > doubt that you are qualified to teach "units of measurement" or to supervise > the teaching of measurement to children K-12. > > Questions and comments may be addressed to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > > Professor Eugene A. Mechtly, Ph.D. > University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (uiuc) > 1406 West Green Street, Urbana IL 61801 > "The > International System of Units" published by > the BIPM? www. > ........................................................................... > On Tue, 19 Feb 2002, Sandy Berger wrote: > > > ... > > Perhaps you would be interested in writing an article that reinforces > > why our country should switch to just a metric system... > > > ... that could serve to keep the issue moving forward. > > I'll be looking for that article! >
