2010 Feb 2
NCTM
NCTM's policy on Teaching the Metric System for America's Future
says "enable them [students] to measure in both the metric and the
customary systems". It is time for NCTM to improve this policy by doing
the following:
1. Change the words "customary systems" to "inch-pound units".
Our "customary" units, (that is inch-pound units) are soon to be no
longer
customary as SI takes over.
Note that our inch-pound units are not a "system".
2. Set up a policy and a time table for no longer teaching
inch-pound units.
Teaching two sets of units confuses many students, leading them to
give up
on science and technical subjects and to go into humanities. Students
(and
everyone else) do not need to measure in both sets of units.
3. Do not test for knowledge of inch-pound units. Students will
learn what they need to know of them from everyday life. Teachers may
answer questions about inch-pound units but make it clear that they are
not part of the curriculum.
4. Do not teach conversion until 7th grade.
Students in the USA come out of high school one whole year behind
students in the rest of the world in mathematics.
In the USA we waste some $1000 billion each year by using two sets
of units. Schools waste a big part of this . This is big money.
(Many people respond to this big number by saying $1000 billion
is not credible. There must be an error in the decimal. There
is no error. See
http://www.Metricationmatters.com/docs/CostOfNonMetrication.pdf.
The Australian experience is the best evidence to see for cost.)
I expect NCTM to be a leader. Tell states to stop requiring the
teaching of inch-pound units. It saves a year of school.
Please let me know if you can do these things. If you decline to
do them, please let me know why.
Thanks
Robert H. Bushnell PhD PE
