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Originally Posted by PammyJ
Actually what you stated above has put us into the situation we are in now. Memorizing facts only without an understanding of what these algorithms represent is WHY students cannot transfer that knowledge into real life situations.
One of the reasons we are in this new movement of more rigorous Standards is because Ivy League college professors are saying that students from the American Education system are really good at reciting facts! However, they cannot think for themselves. Students from other countries exceed American students in Critical Thinking Skills!
It is very hard for some teachers who were taught the memorizing method along with algorithms for every math situation to teach for understanding. This is why I have said before, we are re-training and learning this ourselves! Then there are the really SMart people who can look at a complex Algebra problem and explain in detail how the formulas work and how they are applied to real life..... Our Engineers, etc.... My husband!!
Seriously.. This is why people can't count back change when needed. Give us time, this next generation will be able to do that and more!
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I guess we are not allowed to think anymore that people are not all born with the same level of intelligence or the same kind of problem solving. Thinking for oneself is good if you also consider the level of intelligence a person is born with. It is o.k. to think that some kids are gifted and some are special nowadays but don't bring up that are a lot of levels in between and
not associated with cultural deprivation. That does not make students stupid or smarter, it is just the way they are born. Ability to learn is a spectrum and teachers who know this teach more effectively...but in this day and age you aren't able to talk about it.
I don't know why this is wrong to think, it is true. Some will never grasp higher math, some will never get to understand and enjoy language arts. Not all brains are created equal and sometimes memorization is a good tool. All of us are great people but some of us are not as academically gifted as others. OR athletically gifted and grunt hard work and studying and dedicated creative teaching can't change that entirely.
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