Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

Search Tags:

Categories:

Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

Uploaded by: prestondave
Video Description:
M.J. McDermott is speaking about the current state of math education, as a private citizen . KCPQ does not endorse this video.
Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

Tags for this video: An Education: Inconvenient Math Truth

Find more videos in the "Howto" category
See more videos uploaded by prestondave

Related Videos

Funny Math Problems	Math Genius	Re: Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

Education Today and Tomorrow	New Math (Tom Lehrer) Animation	Al Gore on "An Inconvenient Truth"

Share This Video:

Comments for this video: Show || Hide

Comments for this video on YouTube

Oh My God . . . the ... ( 2 weeks ago by TheBonnieRose)

Oh My God . . . the "cluster" method is so confusing and seems like an enormous waste fo time. I am shocked and horrified that they are actually teaching that as an introduction to learning multiplication. I can see offering this kind of prob. solution a year AFTER mastery of basic algorythums, perhaps to strengthen logic centers in the brain, but, as a method for basic math . . . NO WAY!
What a scam.

its because with a ... ( 2 weeks ago by silycaon)

its because with a dumb public, people dont ask questions or think for themself

This is outrageous ... ( 2 weeks ago by TonganRock)

This is outrageous I hope this is not being taught in my state of California..

I feel her pain, ... ( 1 week ago by rugaba)

I feel her pain, but unfortunately SHE IS DEAD WRONG. Math achievement has fallen significantly with respect to the rest of the world, and the countries who are dominating our kids are using methods similar to the TERC/Cluster. We must get on board with better math methods. Yes, it will be difficult at first, but more beneficial in the long run. She failed to demonstrate how much easier the TERC method is to use once you become proficient. Multi-digit multiplication becomes second nature.

Wow she looks on ... ( 1 week ago by AnimeFanOwns)

Wow she looks on her paper to much, if i do that on my oral I fail and get a D

Ahaha poor kids are ... ( 1 week ago by sw33tb0y77)

Ahaha poor kids are fucked.

In countries that ... ( 1 week ago by wwleslie)

In countries that perform well on international math tests (mostly in Asia and Europe), they do not teach junk computation methods (like clustering and lattice for multiplication); their texts are more rigorous than anything we have, though. The problem with traditional American math texts is that they didn't teach students how to think (too much drill); the problem with the new texts (like TERC and Everyday Math) is that they don't teach students how to compute. Why can't we have both?

I learnt to use the ... ( 1 week ago by Bellatrix22)

I learnt to use the standard algorithm and they taught us USING PLACE VALUES. It was more effiencent, easier to understand and we didn't waste "precious class time" drawing up boxes. I agree with wwleslie... there needs to be a balance with what they're teaching us. I've just finished year 11 Maths and I was disturbed at how many of my classmates haven't learnt long division in primary school. It make polynomial equations really hard for them. We "wasted" class time doing primary school work.

I loved this! I ... ( 1 week ago by bunnykill100)

I loved this! I remember learning all these random methods, and constantly asking "but WHY?! I just want to know how to multiply them together!". I actually did rather poorly in math in elementary school because I didn't understand WHY I needed all of it. For math, you basically just need to know (for middle school):
standard multiplication
multiplication up to 12 x 12
long division
fractions (+, -, /, *)
decimals (how to turn them into reg. numbers)
This shouldn't be that hard :S
Thanks again!

It sounds like ... ( 1 week ago by InfiniteAnvil)

It sounds like Everyday Math has a really good foundation in theory. I wish I'd had those extra zeroes; it explicates the theory while requiring minimum extra work.
We learned the TERC method in my university (CS-hosted) Algorithms class as the "Russian method," and most in the class wished we had been taught that, instead of the arbitrary-seeming shortcut we learned in elementary school.
Then again, in a class on algorithms, you're getting a lot of theory people and fewer practical people.

i hate this ( 1 week ago by DJGoLdEnA)

i hate this

i really suck ... ( 1 week ago by ftizzzzaw)

i really suck without a calculator

the book you show ... ( 1 week ago by mrallcock)

the book you show with the remarks of having no math on certain pages has tables- arent these tables a way of presenting math? does a degree in weather qualify you as an expert in math?

My students love ... ( 1 week ago by Ramrider247)

My students love the lattice method. I hadn't seen it before (I'm not a Maths specialist) so I looked it up. Now I'm perfectly able to use it.
I agree on most of the rest of it, though.

at 2:18 my brain ... ( 1 week ago by ThatOneAwesomeGuy1)

at 2:18 my brain goes "WTF man this is ALL screwed up"

TERC method is ... ( 1 week ago by xingfenzhen)

TERC method is actually very similar to mental math techniques taught in china. expect we had to answer them verbally in class and then prove our answers on the blackboard with the traditional method. Also I wish abacus is taught in schools here, since it really teaches to break complex calculations into simpler ones, and do it very quickly...

I think her point ... ( 1 week ago by xingfenzhen)

I think her point is that those thing should be taught in geography class instead. You learn methods in math class and then apply them in other classes like geography, science etc, rather than combine them

She is not claiming ... ( 5 days ago by gerstners)

She is not claiming to be an expert in math.

Doesn't the ... ( 5 days ago by deprofundis442)

Doesn't the government decide on the ciriculum these days though? If that's so, then teachers don't really have a say.

As a parent and ... ( 4 days ago by MsMathTeacher)

As a parent and math teacher I have found Everyday Math to provide a strong program which helps students develop "number sense", meaning they do not simply memorize algorithms, but actually understand why the they work. This is critical for students to use what they know to solve new problems or situations.
I feel very strongly that kids need to do a certain amount of basic memorization- multiplication tables, etc. I am often shocked at how much high school students rely on calculators.

im with ya sister.. ... ( 4 days ago by EdgeStormcrow)

im with ya sister.. this chick is right.. im doing maths at uni and i still cant long divide, cos they made us remember a song..
a song.. and i forgot the song and cant long divide anymore lol !

this is the most ... ( 3 days ago by RAWowner333)

this is the most retarded thing i've ever heard of. I'm in calc 2 and yeah sure i use a calculator only to figure out 2343*384 to take less time to use the normal algorithm.
once again..retarded...

I got to around 5 ... ( 2 days ago by joeytwomugs)

I got to around 5 minutes and got too annoyed.
Just because she is too stupid to be use all the methods doesn't mean they should be unnaceptable. Who cares if she got confused with some methods, she can use her single way of working. And that sneering remark at 4:53 'when problems get cumbersome, we can just reach for a calculator'. Cluster problems may be easier for quick mental math if you don't have a pen and paper handy. I vary my method depending on the sum and situation.
Bloody Math Nazi

The second method ... ( 1 day ago by ruiruivo83)

The second method should be teached much more than it is, it is the best fot math by head. the third is not very usefull.

Tell a friend:

2MrNa.cOm Videos

Run your own youtube sharing site

Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

URL
Embed Code