3 ms·

I think that math problems should be carefully drafted to be as neutral as possible, and not used as vectors of indoctrination other than the mathematical. A wo

I think that math problems should be carefully drafted to be as neutral as possible, and not used as vectors of indoctrination other than the mathematical. A word problem requires non-relevant noise, but it is as distracting for that noise to contain a social message as a commercial advertisement. And for it to carry a controversial social message will cause friction in an institution that includes all political tribes, which detracts from the non-ideological education mission.

derevaunseraun 5y ago
I think that math is useful and worthwhile in so far as it applies to real world problems. The point of doing word problems isn't to distract kids with "non-relevant noise", but to indicate that the things they are learning have a practical application in everyday life I don't think this word problem carries a social message, it just puts data in front of students and asks them to compare different categories. There would be a social message if the problem was normative, like "because these differences exist, ___ is the answer". But that kind of thinking isn't really math, it would be better suited to something like social studies or language arts
- fluoridation 5y ago
  >The point of doing word problems isn't to distract kids with "non-relevant noise", but to indicate that the things they are learning have a practical application in everyday life Figuring out "how many people from each racial group are likely experiencing food insecurity across the U.S." is an everyday problem? >I don't think this word problem carries a social message, it just puts data in front of students and asks them to compare different categories. The message is not in the question itself or in the data, but in the fact that this particular question was chosen in favor of any other. Would you think I don't have any ulterior motive if I asked "these are the arrest statistics across the US, tabulated by race. What conclusions can be drawn from this?"?
  - derevaunseraun 5y ago
    > Figuring out "how many people from each racial group are likely experiencing food insecurity across the U.S." is an everyday problem? It's more of an everyday problem than just giving students unlabeled categories. > Would you think I don't have any ulterior motive if I asked "these are the arrest statistics across the US, tabulated by race. What conclusions can be drawn from this?"? If by "ulterior motive" you mean raising awareness about different socioeconomic cohorts in American society, I have no issue with those kinds of motives. If the stance was more aggressive e.g. "you need to draw these conclusions from these numbers and support this kind of policy", that's essentially indoctrination and we can both agree that it's out of place in any genuine education. But just raising awareness about different demographics and socioeconomic groups and encouraging discussion (in a way that's open, socratic, with minimal teacher intervention): this I have no issue with.
    - fluoridation 5y ago
      I guess we're never going to agree, then. I want mathematics classes to be about proofs and deduction, not a forum to debate opinions in.

derevaunseraun 5y ago

I think that math is useful and worthwhile in so far as it applies to real world problems. The point of doing word problems isn't to distract kids with "non-relevant noise", but to indicate that the things they are learning have a practical application in everyday life I don't think this word problem carries a social message, it just puts data in front of students and asks them to compare different categories. There would be a social message if the problem was normative, like "because these differences exist, ___ is the answer". But that kind of thinking isn't really math, it would be better suited to something like social studies or language arts

fluoridation 5y ago
>The point of doing word problems isn't to distract kids with "non-relevant noise", but to indicate that the things they are learning have a practical application in everyday life Figuring out "how many people from each racial group are likely experiencing food insecurity across the U.S." is an everyday problem? >I don't think this word problem carries a social message, it just puts data in front of students and asks them to compare different categories. The message is not in the question itself or in the data, but in the fact that this particular question was chosen in favor of any other. Would you think I don't have any ulterior motive if I asked "these are the arrest statistics across the US, tabulated by race. What conclusions can be drawn from this?"?
- derevaunseraun 5y ago
  > Figuring out "how many people from each racial group are likely experiencing food insecurity across the U.S." is an everyday problem? It's more of an everyday problem than just giving students unlabeled categories. > Would you think I don't have any ulterior motive if I asked "these are the arrest statistics across the US, tabulated by race. What conclusions can be drawn from this?"? If by "ulterior motive" you mean raising awareness about different socioeconomic cohorts in American society, I have no issue with those kinds of motives. If the stance was more aggressive e.g. "you need to draw these conclusions from these numbers and support this kind of policy", that's essentially indoctrination and we can both agree that it's out of place in any genuine education. But just raising awareness about different demographics and socioeconomic groups and encouraging discussion (in a way that's open, socratic, with minimal teacher intervention): this I have no issue with.
  - fluoridation 5y ago
    I guess we're never going to agree, then. I want mathematics classes to be about proofs and deduction, not a forum to debate opinions in.