What is Math?
posted by Persephone | December 5, 2009
- Login or register to post comments
- Print this page
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Propeller
Reddit
Magnoliacom
Newsvine
Furl
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Technorati
IcerocketThis is really just a question. I have no intention to send my son to public school. Math is not a strong point for me and what I do know I learned in public school.
Excerpt from Deliberate dumbing down of America:
"The sole work of the group was to destroy our schools! We spent one hour and forty-five minutes discussing the so-called “Modern Math.” At one point I objected because there was too much memory work, and math is reasoning; not memory. Dr.Ziegler turned to me and said, “Nelson, wake up! That is what we want... a math that the pupils cannot apply to life situations when they get out of school!” That math was not introduced until much later, as those present thought it was too radical a change.
A milder course by Dr. Breckner was substituted but it was also worthless, as far as understanding math was concerned. The radical change was introduced in 1952. It was the one we are using now. So, if pupils come out of high school now, not knowing any math, don’t blame them. The results are supposed to be worthless."
My question is, where can I learn real math so I can teach my son real math?
Thank you.
May all be well in our world.
T
Comments
Basics + More Advanced (teen) curriculum
— Dec 06, 2009
"What is math" is one of those questions that provoke a lot of arguments.
I assure you, math professors do real math for real purposes with real results, but you'd be hard put to apply any of it to anything you encounter in your day-to-day life.
I would teach addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages, and how to manually graph functions and how to estimate areas beneath curves using graph paper. Some knowledge of spreadsheets (Excel) could come in handy. These are "the basics," and cover most day to day work and life experiences.
If he takes to math or shows an analytical mindset, find him a copy of "Godel, Escher, Bach," (whcih is a fun book,) and then I would teach trigonometric functions, (sin, cos, tan,) how to measure the length of a hypotenuse, and how to solve quadratic equations. Beginning statistics, logic, some algorithms (computer science), and a few proofs from geometry, number theory, and combinatorics -- there are a number of very good books that introduce all of these things in a conversational way. This is the foundation of a college science, engineering, or programming degree.
All of these things can be learned online, and there is no reason you couldn't learn with him.
Disclosure: I have an 8-year old daughter, and I sit with her while she does her homework every day.
"Real" Math...
— Dec 18, 2009
Show your kids the bills... your checkbook register... take a calculator to the grocery store... figure out how many gallons (liters) of gasoline or petrol it takes to get somewhere... try to estimate how much water you use in your home... get a Kill-A-Watt and do the same with the electrical consumption of your home.
Think of what math or logical skills you need on a daily basis. Teach from life.
Math and Science
— Dec 31, 2009
Here is some math and science they might actually enjoy!
Cymatics: Bringing matter to life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Io6lop3mk
Fractals, the colors of infinity
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8570098277666323857&ei=-TY8S_XLL...
Try Michael S. Schneider's Teaching Method
— Apr 10, 2012
Why not discuss the Math & Physics behind our Universe. You can easily delve into Fractals, Functions & Quadratics, Sacred Geometry, Golden Ratio, Fibonacci Code, Pythagorean Theorem, etc.
This site has alot of homeschooling materials you can use
http://www.constructingtheuniverse.com/
I learned about him on Red Ice Radio (unfortunately the full version is no longer available, the video can be watched in parts.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pofpMpNGVyc
