---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 07:00:44 -0500 From: Sandy Berger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: WLME-8
Dear Gene, > Thanks for your offer to rewrite the WLME activities. Since this is > the last issue of WLME in its present format, I think we will leave it > as is on our website. I will check with Dr. Tunis about the Standards > 2000 activities. > My comments were in reference to the role that NCTM plays. We do not > purposely "handicap" students, etc. We are, however, not in the > position of not including the customary system in our publications until > such time as SI becomes the "official" system of the United States. By > including both customary and metric units, we are doing our best to meet > the needs of all teachers. > Please understand that I personally can concur with you completely and > NCTM as an organization can address metrics as often as possible, but > we are not the final say on which unit of measurement will be taught > in the U.S. Other historical and political factors come into play. > Our commitment at this point is to publish things that support the use > of the metric system. Many of us in mathematics education agree with > what you are saying. We have even discussed in house about having some > of the published activities done only in metrics. As long as teachers > are accountable for preparing students for high stakes tests that > require a knowledge of the customary measurement system, we will also > be obliged to publish materials that support them in their efforts. > Perhaps lobbying the government as actively as possible is the better > use of time for all concerned. That is where the change must take > place. > Again, thank you for your comments. I will be looking for the article. > If it is an opinion article, please label it as a submission for the > appropriate department of each journal. If it is an example of a > classroom activity that you have used and how kids relate to it > (infinitely more likely to be used by teachers) then it should be > submitted as a regular manuscript to the appropriate journal > (elementary, middle, or high school). Sandy
