Stan, Paul sirs:
.....My point is that introducing metric system in math classes is a
mistake. Why? Many people >suffer aversion to math. Americans in particular
treasure math phobia, even pride in it.
It is unfortunate that US & anti-metric forces consider 'ichhy.....' in
using SI-incere efforts that most children want in their school curriculur
to learn & understand the Metric System - the Le Systeme Internationale
d'Unites (SI) way. Lableing metric learning wih 'math phobia' only enhanves
the craze to learn it right; and denying the American young their right to
choose *what best holds in their learning* or its absense thereof.
Looking forwards & learning Metrics will only add to American democratic way
of life.
Brij Bhushan Vij
(Sunday, Kali 5107-W27-00)/265+D-290 G.(Tuesday, 2006 October
17H16:79(decimal) ET
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From: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Subject: [USMA:37361] Metric and math
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:50:07 -0400
This is an opinion concerning the emphasis USMA members have been placing
on writing to math teachers & their organizations in the expectation that
it will help metricating the US.
I am questioning the effectiveness of that effort. Math teachers tell me
that they do teach metric; it is in the curriculum as any standard subject.
They also support the vision of metric USA. And they cannot teach metric
any more until they are told to do so. That is likely to happen only when
the country starts going metric again. When that push starts they will do
more regardless our prompting; but they cannot initiate the push.
Notice that their teaching metric in the past failed in metricating the US
if the metric USA was that goal (I know it was not). I believe that any
extra effort on their part will again be wasted. Worse yet: they are the
wrong group to teach or promote metric.
My point is that introducing metric system in math classes is a mistake.
Why? Many people suffer aversion to math. Americans in particular treasure
math phobia, even pride in it. Fear of math is considered a virtue. The
media delight in prizing numerical ineptitude and ridiculing the opposites
as nerds, geeks, etc. Associating metric with math turns many pupils
against metric. And it is the non-math types that will go into the
Government policy making.
Metric need not be a math subject. If I remember my childhood ed, I heard
of the "metric system" in physics classes, not math. The Czech lands, being
located in the center of Europe, had likely the same ed system as the
continental countries (not England). Metric system and units weren't taught
in math classes because there is no math in metric. Math was devoted to
calculating. Measurements, for which one needs units, was left for physics.
US math teachers "put" math (i.e., conversions) into the subject.
Otherwise, what would they do with all those hours allocated? And they are
used to that - conversion calculations are a must in working with the
English system.
Relegating teaching of metric units to physics in the US would take away
the stigma of metric = math, and with it the "I am not good at it, see no
use for it, forget it." This (majority) in the US population would have one
less argument against metric. Introducing metric in physics or similar,
non-math classes, on the other hand, cannot but enthuse students for
resorting to the metric system. They see how much simpler solutions to
problems are when using SI. Instead of aversion, they will develop a love
of both metric AND physics.
For these reasons, I question the usefulness of "working with" math
teachers and their representatives to involve them in promoting the metric
cause. We should instead address curriculum developers, textbook publishers
(non-math), and other such organizations.
I am not against promoting metric among math teachers or any other group.
But recognizing the limits on the time each of us has for the metrication
effort, I am concerned that, with this group, that time is not just wasted,
it is counter-productive.
Stan Jakuba
