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You can say that about most topics. A lot of people find maths boring and don't want to sit through it, but for some it fires a spark of emotion.

baby 13y ago
Yes but I believe Math is really important to be taught at a young age.
- saraid216 13y ago
  Why? Are trapezoids really so important that all human beings need to know what they are?
  - baby 13y ago
    Because it's the only class where you do REAL problem solving and you don't just learn things by heart or discover things. Also because it solicits your brain a lot. Which is always good. And finally because you use math every day. There are some things in math you are not going to use yes, but most of the program is important imo. So many people nowadays just can't do simple calculus it's worrying (especially when we need to split the bill).
    - saraid216 13y ago
      > Because it's the only class where you do REAL problem solving and you don't just learn things by heart or discover things. It's the only class that isn't below the threshold of pedagogical competence, you mean. The response isn't "well, then everyone should learn math, and memorize these multiplication tables!"; the response is fix the other subjects. > Also because it solicits your brain a lot. Which is always good. If a subject doesn't solicit your brain, should it be taught at all? > And finally because you use math every day. Really? I don't. If you're using math every day, it's almost certainly not math. It's a dessicated corpse slashed to pieces for easy consumption by children. Why? Because reasons. You've given the example of splitting the bill, for instance, but people use this example too much: stop trying to save on quantities smaller than a dollar and just tip more. Indeed, it's an instance where it'd be useful to teach "mental math" by telling kids to memorize this Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_calculation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_calculation Which is precisely the kind of memorization and thoughtless spoon-feeding you decried.

baby 13y ago

Yes but I believe Math is really important to be taught at a young age.

saraid216 13y ago
Why? Are trapezoids really so important that all human beings need to know what they are?
- baby 13y ago
  Because it's the only class where you do REAL problem solving and you don't just learn things by heart or discover things. Also because it solicits your brain a lot. Which is always good. And finally because you use math every day. There are some things in math you are not going to use yes, but most of the program is important imo. So many people nowadays just can't do simple calculus it's worrying (especially when we need to split the bill).
  - saraid216 13y ago
    > Because it's the only class where you do REAL problem solving and you don't just learn things by heart or discover things. It's the only class that isn't below the threshold of pedagogical competence, you mean. The response isn't "well, then everyone should learn math, and memorize these multiplication tables!"; the response is fix the other subjects. > Also because it solicits your brain a lot. Which is always good. If a subject doesn't solicit your brain, should it be taught at all? > And finally because you use math every day. Really? I don't. If you're using math every day, it's almost certainly not math. It's a dessicated corpse slashed to pieces for easy consumption by children. Why? Because reasons. You've given the example of splitting the bill, for instance, but people use this example too much: stop trying to save on quantities smaller than a dollar and just tip more. Indeed, it's an instance where it'd be useful to teach "mental math" by telling kids to memorize this Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_calculation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_calculation Which is precisely the kind of memorization and thoughtless spoon-feeding you decried.