Re: Euclidean Geometry in Schools

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005, Herman Rubin wrote:
> Jean-Claude Arbaut <jean-claude.arbaut@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >On 25/06/2005 18:32, Herman Rubin wrote:
>
> Those getting the American degrees which "qualify" teachers of high
> school mathematics usually do not even know finite dimensional metric
> spaces, or what a derivative or integral are, except computationally.
> It is not just these; we get many candidates for PhD's in mathematics
> whose undergraduate degrees do not cover this. It is the result of the
> dumbing down which comes from the pressure to teach to the level of
> those who are in the classroom, and also down to the level which they
> are willing to accept.
>
Yicks! What's happening, a national prefrontal lobotomy?

> They do not know how to teach concepts, largely because they think in
> terms of memorization and routine. This was the problem which teachers
> had with the "new math", and still do. The only "classical" course,
> below advanced courses, which did much about it was "Euclid".
>
More of the same standarized people with mechanical minds who have learned
to avoid self infliciting thoughts. Self inflicted thoughts may be
dangerous, even wrongthink.

> We can teach abstract thinking in kindergarten. It is
> much harder the later one waits.
>
Instead we teach commericalism and docil stupidity.

> And the fiasco of removing mathematical concepts, grammar,
> structure in all fields, is rampant and has not ended.
>
Sigh, it's genocide in a highly techonological world.

> Set theory is a unifying structure in mathematics, but the
> new math never got beyond set algebra, which is quite weak.
> The approach to arithmetic from the Peano Postulates does
> not require learning set theory, or even set algebra, first.
>
> It is a good idea, in all branches of learning. I believe
> that music teachers can get away with it. But it is now
> almost prohibited in language, history, geography, as well
> as mathematics and science.
>
The ignorance is bliss policy of the no child left behind program.

> Private schools are not just for the rich. The public schools
> CANNOT be substantially improved at this time, but if there
> were an adequate number of affordable private schools when the
> educationists started their activities, the miserable performance
> of their schools would have been apparent in a few years. At no
> time do we need an educational monopoly, and at this time, the
> monopoly makes it impossible to do anything with it.
>
> A public university cannot tell a legislator that the high schools
> in his district turn out totally incompetent graduates.
>
Nor can scientists tell legislators, nor even the military tell the White
House, anything other than what they want to hear. When the global
economy is distrupted by flooded seaports from rising oceans, we won't
even be able to tell them, we told you so.

--
The first assignment of the integrated, sociology, political science,
literature, economics, government, civics class is to read
Brave New World
1984
Animal Farm

Wrongthink is rightthink! -- Citizen Caine
.

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