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Science and math are taught extremely poorly in K-12 public school, almost criminally so. Most education focuses on rote memorization of often questionably usef

Science and math are taught extremely poorly in K-12 public school, almost criminally so. Most education focuses on rote memorization of often questionably useful facts and eschews the more abstract concepts that are at the core of the subject. Science and math are fascinating subjects, and kids often have a natural interest in them, but that interest gets squashed by the punishingly boring way the subjects get taught. Most kids end up thinking that math and science are just a lot of boring routine, like intellectual factory work. Who would blame them for avoiding what seems to be a dismal waste of time?

jlgreco 13y ago
This may have changed post "no child left behind" and the wave of standardization, but I think the quality of science and math education in K-12 public schools varies greatly. My school district was pretty awesome for science, while the one down the street would latter make national news by getting their pants sued off for teaching creationism in science classrooms.
derekp7 13y ago
That's simply because memorization is about the only technique that can be taught reliably across a wide range of learning styles. Anything that involves deep though has to be individually tailored to each student. Case in point -- one of my step kids did real well in math in grade school, until the teacher started mixing in art to make it more fun (one project was to make a "math cube", and decorated it -- he failed that project). The other kid was out the week that fractions were taught. She heard from her friends how hard it was, and was terrified of going back to school. So her mom taught it to her (known her learning style), and she aced the test when she got back. All other students in the class failed miserably. (And the teacher was extremely upset -- how dare a parent actually teach their kid -- that's the teachers job).
acheron 13y ago
<em>Science and math are fascinating subjects, and kids often have a natural interest in them, but that interest gets squashed by the punishingly boring way the subjects get taught.</em> Yes, absolutely true, but not just of science and math. This applies to all subjects. In the spirit of hoping for a better life for my son than I had, I hope I can help him to hold off that interest-squashing better than I could.

jlgreco 13y ago

This may have changed post "no child left behind" and the wave of standardization, but I think the quality of science and math education in K-12 public schools varies greatly. My school district was pretty awesome for science, while the one down the street would latter make national news by getting their pants sued off for teaching creationism in science classrooms.

derekp7 13y ago

That's simply because memorization is about the only technique that can be taught reliably across a wide range of learning styles. Anything that involves deep though has to be individually tailored to each student. Case in point -- one of my step kids did real well in math in grade school, until the teacher started mixing in art to make it more fun (one project was to make a "math cube", and decorated it -- he failed that project). The other kid was out the week that fractions were taught. She heard from her friends how hard it was, and was terrified of going back to school. So her mom taught it to her (known her learning style), and she aced the test when she got back. All other students in the class failed miserably. (And the teacher was extremely upset -- how dare a parent actually teach their kid -- that's the teachers job).

acheron 13y ago

<em>Science and math are fascinating subjects, and kids often have a natural interest in them, but that interest gets squashed by the punishingly boring way the subjects get taught.</em> Yes, absolutely true, but not just of science and math. This applies to all subjects. In the spirit of hoping for a better life for my son than I had, I hope I can help him to hold off that interest-squashing better than I could.