Are you satisfied with basic math skills of your students?
Yes - 8 (10%)
No - 75 (90%)
Furthermore some interesting comments.
David French • I might be out of place with this, but I am a mathematics instructor at a community college. I have noticed over the past 15 or so years, the basic skills of incoming 18-19 year olds has diminished. Topics such as percentages seem to be lost. Even basic arithmetic skills seem to be weaker.
Laura Delgado • I teach 8th grade math which is pre-algebra. I have 90% of my students, if not more, who struggle with understanding that a fraction is a part of a whole. So when it's time for my students to simplify a fraction or simplify an improper fraction they don't even want to try. They'd rather wait for me to show them how to do it for the 100+ time. It amazes me how this generation is filled with children who don't grasp simple concepts in math, much less try to understand those simple concepts at all.
Jesse Ramey • I tutor a lot of students in mathematics in the Columbus, OH area. Most of the students I work with are deficient in skills related to operations on fractions. This includes students not only in the sixth or seventh grades where they are supposed to understand this topic, but high school and college students in algebra.
Joy McCutcheon • «Discovery" at the elementary level has ruined basic skills. The students at that level need fact fluency, and algorithmic fluency that only comes from memorization and drilling. The foundation has to be laid concretely before any real abstract thinking can be meaningful. Elementary students are inquisitive, but they need to be given the tools. If I went to change a tire on my car, I could figure out (discover) that to trade the flat for the spare the lug nuts would have to be loosened. I could probably also figure out that I could switch out the tire with the spare and then tighten the lug nuts. However, if I don't have the appropriate lug wrench with which to do the loosening and the tightening, what good has it done me to "discover" anything about the lug nuts?
Anna Hurd • I'd like to ban calculators until Algebra I. Kids have no concept of numbers anymore - have no idea if an answer to a word problem is reasonable or not. What's wrong with a negative age?? And why do so many of my Alg. 2 students need a calculator to multiply 3 times 4?? Just sad...
Matt Darrah • It is ridiculous that students can make it into a high school physics class and not know their basic math facts. I recall a time in which I asked a student what 10x1 equals and they automatically reached for their calculator. I informed them that at this point, they should know what the answer is. The student looked at me like I'm crazy, which I am for expecting them to know basic multiplication facts. Speaking like a true teacher, if I had more time, I would spend it teaching basic math skills AND how to read.
Joe Leterle, BSME, MBA • I also teach high school physics. Mine may not be quite as bad as Matt's situation, but when I give them a simple problem to solve algebraically, like a linear equation to find acceleration from rest given distance and ending speed, they look at me like I'm speaking Chinese to them. I end up teaching first year physics and first year algebra together, which means I can't get all the physics in that my curriculum calls for, nor do I get to any of the enrichment activities that I enjoy teaching (and they enjoy doing). Unless they have a foundation in algebra, they don't belong in physics (or chemistry) but the admin keeps putting them there. They say, "It's only the 'concepts' you're teaching" (the book is titled "Conceptual Physics") without understanding the necessity of the math to actually do the work.
Siu Tang • Matt Darrah, and Joe Leterle, I am with both of you but unfortunately and sadly, the younger generations are taught to be dependent on calculators and computers!!! They would not know how to do a very simple mental arithmetic but ridicule the older generations who write sensible but long mathematics expressions with possibly necessary explanations. I still prefer 'Back to Basics' to begin the lesson regardless of levels of education.
A Cron • My daughter is very intelligent, but I pulled her and her brother out of a private school due to the manner in which the school was not teaching basic math skills... they were not using calculators at all; they were encouraging the students to use their fingers to count when adding 3+5. Also, were taking their time to teach multiplication... my daughter prefers to use a calculator for simple arithmetic, but complains when people of similar educational background cannot do simple algebra, geometry, statistics, and calculus. She has a PhD in Medical Science.
The critical years for learning basic math skills needs to be addressed by rote learning... a lot of it. You can use higher level learning as well, but the basic skills are needed for the higher level skills.
Anita Kursell • I see too many students at the college level taking college arithmetic because they have relied on calculators. Most are ashamed of using their fingers. I encourage them to use their fingers and a number line for negatives. Calculators should not be allowed in elementary grades for arithmetic.
Jim Callahan • What basic skills? Not to long ago a group of 10 students were given 12 test scores and asked to find the average score. They did know to add up the scores and did it in a manner so that they could count. They formed six groups and each group took two of the scores and using their fingers they determined six answers. They then tool the six answers and make them into groups of two and found the three answers. Counting again on their fingers. The last three answers were added together with all 10 counting on their fingers hoping that they would all get the same answer. This I am afraid was also done by counting on their fingers. The total now stood at 1,012. I was a visitor to the class but I was sitting near the group of 10 (oh I know these kindergarteners are not expected to know their facts but these were not kindergarteners they were students just about ready to graduate from the sixth grade.) One of the students said mister how do you find the average of 1, 012. You will need to divide 1,012 by 12. Divide we have never learned to divide. (These programs are just great) Well I said you will need to see if you can figure out how many 12’s are contained in 1.012. One of the voice said "That's easy it is one"
See 1.012 has a 12 in it. Not only are we not teaching concepts we are providing our students with nothing. I am sad. No one visits the classes to see what is going on I have been in over 500 schools and I am completely disgusted with these programs and how mathematics is being murdered.
In a visit to an elementary school I was with the principal, we were examining the results of a state assessment. The first four questions had 75% or better getting the correct answer but the fifth question had only 20% getting it correct. Oh yes I did forget to say that the four questions that received 75% or better could of been answered by my dog Bonnie. The fifth question said " John has 73 marbles and his friend has 59 marbles. See if you can determine how many more marble John has than his friend?" He said only 20% were able to answer that question correct. That is easy you only need to count on from 59 to 73. This is the leader and he thinks this is good. I wonder what they will do when the question is something like this. John has been collecting base ball cards for over ten years. He now has 3, 567 cards. His best friend had 2, 0 73. See if you can determine how many more baseball cards John has than his friend. I think counting on would be wonderful. We may need to wait a week or so but what else do we have but time. We are killing ourselves with these pathetic programs.
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