A Journey of a Thousand Words
Trigger warning: Just so you know, this post contains a possible trigger term. It’s a term that refers to a bus used by … special kids. Hopefully, the term “special kids” hasn’t sent you running and screaming. Also, there’s a really easy pop math quiz. Try not to let that deter you from reading this.
Many years ago, I started a blog with the same name as this one. I called it “Random and Sundry Things” because I couldn’t decide on a niche. I described myself as “an unrepentant generalist.”
Turns out that’s kind of a good thing. I know that from reading this book.
I’ve reached the part in this book that discusses education and how kids are taught math in schools around the world. The chapter starts off with an actual example of an actual teacher teaching eighth graders math. And, frankly, I’m not sure if these kids were being deliberately obtuse or had all arrived to school on the short bus. (And I will not apologize for using those words, because you know they could be true.)
And if I told you the well-meaning, but not very effective, teacher and her dumbass students were in the U.S., would you be shocked? Of course not. We’re well-known dumbasses.
I shall now quote a sufficiently minor section of the text such that I believe it would qualify as “fair use.”
I doubt it will affect sales of the book any. Hopefully, it will serve to promote the book and make a point.
References to “Richland” refer to someone named Lindsey Richland, a University of Chicago professor who studies learning.
In their research, Richland and her collaborators highlighted the stunning degree of reliance community college students–41 percent of all undergraduate students in the United States–have on memorized algorithms. Asked whether a/5 or a/8 is greater, 53 percent of the students answered correctly, barely better than guessing. Asked to explain their answers, students frequently pointed to some algorithm.
***** (This means I’m skipping some text. You knew that, right? 🙂 )
Some of the college students seemed to have unlearned number sense that most children have, like that adding two numbers gives you a third comprised of the first two.
*****
When younger students bring home problems that force them to make connections, Richland told me, “parents are like, ‘Lemme show you, there’s a faster, easier way.'” If the teacher didn’t already turn the work into using-procedures practice, well-meaning parents will. They aren’t comfortable with bewildered kids, and they want understanding to come quickly and easily. But for learning that is both durable (it sticks) and flexible (it can be applied broadly), fast and easy is precisely the problem.
Fast and easy is definitely a problem And not just in education.
And that is certainly not the only problem with our educational system.
This is not fiction.
But this is. And it’s worth a look.
Maybe I should bring back a series I used to do called Blogs of Note?
PS: Turns out Harlan Ellison was also quite the generalist. And unrepentant as hell about it.
PPS: This video is “unavailable” in the preview I see, but is available in the published version. So it’s “unavailable” and available. Until it isn’t.
Ellison Orwell would have a field day Need I say more?
PPPS: Public Domain Day is coming!
From the old year. 🙂
PPPPS: Have I mentioned that I’m a New York Times bestselling author? That’s also not fiction.
Got there way too fast and not-all-that-easily.
As to which of those fractions is greater, here’s how to think about that.
Which is greater? 1/2 or 1/3?
There. Think about it.
Now, was it 53% of the 41% or 53% of the total?
That’s why it doesn’t matter if my ebooks are on Amazon.
Seventy percent of pocket change is … still almost nothing.
All because of algorithms.
PPPPPS: Found this on Patreon!
PPPPPPS: See what I mean?
