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I've never understood the cult of calculus. I think it comes from mistaking the importance of its discovery for the importance of teaching it. It was a huge unl
by npunt 5y ago
I've never understood the cult of calculus. I think it comes from mistaking the importance of its discovery for the importance of teaching it. It was a huge unlock for science, but is in no way a huge unlock for most people's lives.
On the other hand, I feel psychology and stats are the biggest missing pieces in K12 education. We need to build greater awareness of human needs and fallibilities, and awareness of how to make decisions in uncertain environments by understanding probabilities. Both are about developing a nuanced perspective on life and making better, more sober decisions, and they build a great deal of empathy to boot.
Finally, psych & stats are inherently relatable - everyone deals with people and has to make decisions. So much of the K12 experience isn't relatable, which is why students often hate school.
- ecshafer 5y agoCalculus is critically essential for learning many later math fields, and many important topics. Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Aerospace, etc. There is a lot of very critical fields to modern society that requires knowledge of calculus. You can't build a modern bridge without calculus.
- npunt 5y agoI don’t dismiss its value in the broader education system, nor for certain industries and jobs. But specifically in the context of K12 requirements & expectations in the process of applying for college, it’s hardly foundational knowledge for most of life’s paths. Ergo, it’s best to a) not to have college expectations be built around most/everyone having it before college and punishing those who don’t, b) focus on teaching it where it’s needed (eg when in college for those majors), and of course c) if a kid knows their path involves it earlier, make it available to learn when they want to.
- eesmith 5y agoAs I recall from when this came up a few years ago, the "cult of calculus" was because in the post-war era 'the end-users of mathematics studies [were] mostly in the physical sciences and engineering; and they expected manipulative skill in calculus.' - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Math https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Math . One way to see how curriculum has changed over the last 70 years is in Sheldon Glashow's autobiography. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1950. Quoting https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1979/glashow/biographical/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1979/glashow/biogr... , "High-school mathematics then terminated with solid geometry."