Hi Helen, The school is one of science and math school of nine specialized high schools in NYC.
Don't get me wrong, kids there know metric system and can convert imperial-to-imperial, or metric-to-imperial. But my point is that studying metric in school without seeing it in every day life as a primary system is a like studying a foreign language. I think that kids understand decimals very well and before any other measurements when they learn to count and when they start to use money. But with imperial system even adults are confused (though it doesn't seem they care ;-) ). Also, using imperial system narrows scope of problems that can be used in math/computer problems or adds calculating steps to the solution. for example, how to calculate an average height of kids in a class? or in excel or database, how would you represent person's height? (1)two fields, feet and inches, (2)inches only or (3)feet only using decimals? or average room size, land size. I guess that decimals are used for that, say, 15.5 feet room. Date and time are not decimal, but unfortunately nothing can be done about that. that is why databases and spreadsheets have special data type - date. Since imperial system numbers do not fit into standard numerical data type (that assumes decimals) to handle imperial system special data type should be created for each measurement or some other workarounds used.... thanks, Natalie 43,560 square feet in an acre 5280 feet in a mile 16 ounces in a pound 128 ounces in a gallon 23 confused kids in a class What could be simpler? ________________________________ From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Cc: Dimitri Skliar <[email protected]>; Natalie Kozlova <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 26, 2012 11:24 PM Subject: [USMA:52004] Re: Sent to WSJ.... Natalie, Right now I am giving presentations on why education should be metric only in schools, and I am seeing that kids don't understand decimals well past the age that they should. I taught in South Korea for a while, so I have an idea of what kids can and can't do there. I am giving my presentations in Colorado. Where is the science high school were the kids had such difficulty? Helen Bushnell On Mon, Nov 26, 2012, at 20:44, Natalia Permiakova wrote: well said, Bridget. > >Another reason to move to metric is to be able to use calculators. since >calculators are 10 based, it makes it instant to figure out how many marks on >the ruler 0.27 is. In metric countries a third grader will tell you that right >away, but in US it takes some time for a specialized science high school >freshman to figure out. when i saw it with my eyes, I become passionate about >US adopting metric system for the benefits of education. > >My daughter, a high school senior now, learned metric system in elementary >school as well as in all the science classes. But it will be marked in her >head as "for something else" (travel, science) unless she sees it every day >and in the first place, not in parenthesis. > >I believe the government should require for the consumer products metric >measurements to be listed *first* on the products and imperial to be in >parenthesis (and maybe optional, up to the manufacturer) and I don't think it >would require any taxpayer's money. >I think some states at least allow that - I was surprised to get a JOBY >gorilla tripod and to find on the package metric dimensions listed as primary. >I am in love with the product partially because of that ;-) > >tv weather channels/reports should start providing temperature in celcius at >least silently on the screen to get kids get used to it and for the sake of >foreign visitors and immigrants(think New York) . i have sent emails to some >tv channels about that but never heard from them back. > >Then, the schools and (non-science) education will follow. To learn metric >system in elementary school but not to see and feel it in everyday life only >adds confusion for kids. > >also, to make older people comfortable, imperial measurements should be >additionally provided in public places, highways, roads for, say, 50 years. > >I was really upset to learn recently that California transportation system >went metric and then returned back to imperial >(http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/metric1/DD-12-R1_Final.pdf). what a waste of >money (on both ways)! ;-( >After that I stopped active discussions on the metric system and use partisan >methods: stick a "pro-metric" signature to my emails, distribute metric >rullers/conversion charts to my friends, ask how many pints in a gallon at >work.... Most people are not even aware that there is a need in metrication of >US. > >thanks, >Natalie > >43,560 square feet in an acre >5280 feet in a mile >16 ounces in a pound >128 ounces in a gallon >23 confused kids in a class >What could be simpler? > >Inbox 4563 >________________________________ > From: Metric Rules Info <[email protected]> >To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> >Sent: Monday, November 26, 2012 6:28 PM >Subject: [USMA:52002] Sent to WSJ.... > > >Dear Sir: > >Justin Scheck correctly points out that efforts to convert the United States >to the metric system have faced significant cultural resistance over the past >four decades ("Cooking a Poundcake in a Metric Oven Is No Easy Task", Nov. >24). Although metric system devotees are often portrayed as amusing >eccentrics, a far more serious issue involves the significant disadvantage >imposed on American students by an educational system that fails to adopt the >weights and measures used not only by 95 percent of the world’s population but >also in the fastest growing occupations in the United States. > >Current research suggests that as much as 40 percent of instructional time in >primary and secondary education is now spent on standardized test preparation >and administration. By using customary units in standardized testing, >particularly in science related subjects, American Educators and by extension >our children are faced with the unique liability of dual-measurement >instruction. > >It is commonly acknowledged that students who choose to enter Science, >Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields must learn to use the >metric system. Those who have the intellectual skills required to achieve >these advanced degrees will likely find the conversion to "metric thinking" to >be a modest burden compared to acquiring the rest of the knowledge needed to >succeed in their chosen profession. However, few realize that the healthcare >industry is also exclusively metric. As the fastest growing employment sector >in the United States and currently employing one in eight Americans, millions >of workers such as doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, >physical therapists, nutritionists, and home health care workers, to name a >few, are required to learn and effectively function in metric units. Learning >a new measurement language is not an easy task for all Americans. Preventable >medication errors in the United States continue to have deadly consequences. Please refer to the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (http://www.ismp.org/pressroom/PR20110808.pdf) for additional information. > >Healthcare and STEM occupations are only two areas of employment where >American students are not well served by the use of customary units in K-12 >STEM instruction. Most modern career paths in manufacturing such as precision >and additive manufacturing and notably, all American automotive manufacturing >have voluntarily converted to metric units. The United States Armed Forces, >which is the largest organization in the world, requires its workforce to >learn and function in metric units. > >While it is certainly amusing to read about Zach Rodriguez's reprogramming of >his parent's oven to display metric units, there are far more important >questions requiring national attention. Why does our K-12 educational system >continue to use customary measurement units in STEM instruction when neither >university level programs nor professional employment opportunities utilize >them? Could one call educating our children to think and function in >customary units an institutionalized cognitive disadvantage solely impacting >American children? I have not found any occupational evidence to support the >continued practice of utilizing customary units in STEM instruction. > >I wish this article would have dedicated less time to the philosophical, >cultural aversion to the adoption of the modern metric system and instead >focused on a more practical question: How might America’s preference towards >customary units impact your child’s future employment opportunities? > >Cordially, >Bridget Nagarajan >Executive Director, M Power >(www.teammetric.org) > >
