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California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

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Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#121

Post by threatofrain »

The program is called Equitable Math and it frames current mathematics pedagogy as a mechanism by which White Supremacy is sustained.¹ Note that in a very long multi-part document on White Supremacy, there is absolutely zero mention of Asians, despite that they are somewhere between 15.5% to 17% of the state population.²

Program goals includes the de-emphasis of Algebra for middle school and Calculus for high school. Under Equitable Math, all students must take the same level of courses up until the senior year.

[1]: https://equitablemath.org

[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Americans_in_California

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#122

Post by garmaine »

zozbot234 wrote: post #57
pineconewarrior wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems entirely arbitrary (if not false?). I was taught the basics of algebra and even trig (at least, how pi and radians work) in the 4th and 5th grade

Yes, but I'm talking about what works well for the average student, not just math whizs who post on HN.

Why/how exactly do you think people become a math whiz? For many of us it was because we were introduced to subjects at an early age and had supportive teachers/parents that encouraged our academic success even when (especially because!) it meant surpassing our peers.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#123

Post by rootusrootus »

tppiotrowski wrote: post #31
holonomically wrote: post #7

I was doing algebra and Russian math word problems in 4th grade (maybe earlier, it's been a while). What exactly is the logic of pushing back mathematical training to later grades? [1] 1: https://www.edhelper.com/geography/Russia_Math1.htm

Second grade in Poland I remember problems like this when learning addition and subtraction: 3 + ? = 10 10 - ? = 3

My third grader does simple equations like this in math. This is public school in Oregon. A lot of people in this thread are making big assumptions and just using it as an excuse to trash the American educational system for ideological reasons.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#124

Post by TimTheTinker »

holonomically wrote: post #116
TimTheTinker wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you teach "hard" things to average US public school students, a minority of them will excel as a result. The rest will nod off, get bored, not pay attention, and not benefit. So it benefits a minority (those who care) and differentiates them from the rest -- that's what they don't like. Because those who care come from "privileged" backgrounds more often than not, thus perpetuating the gap between privileged and n…

I still don't follow. What exactly in what I suggested is the problem with equalizing outcomes? If everyone is learning the same things then what exactly is the problem? There is no discrimination involved.

"Equalizing outcomes" is exactly what they want to do.

They seek to accomplish this by pulling down those who would otherwise excel, not by solving the real problems that are preventing people from excelling in the first place.

Part of the problem is that outcomes can never be equalized. It's a fallacy to try to force everyone into the same educational mold. A statistical normal distribution will always occur.

Better to remove impediments that are keeping people from excelling -- things like poverty, crime, etc. would be a great place to start.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#126

Post by threatofrain »

_-david-_ wrote: post #25

If racism is actually causing blacks and Hispanics to not make it into advanced classes then why are Asians making it in?

The very long multi-part document on white supremacy in mathematics does not mention Asians even once, despite that they are somewhere between 15.5% to 17% of the state population.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#127

Post by rootusrootus »

holonomically wrote: post #50
tppiotrowski wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Second grade in Poland I remember problems like this when learning addition and subtraction: 3 + ? = 10 10 - ? = 3

Yup, even 2x2 systems of equations. This stuff isn't hard, I don't get what the folks in the US are thinking.

> I don't get what the folks in the US are thinking.

My third grader does these (in an Oregon public school), so I think you've read too much into one article and a lot of uninformed commenters.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#128

Post by ldiracdelta »

denkmoon wrote: post #103
bko wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This policy has nothing to do with the topic of algebra. This is code for advanced math, because algebra is typically considered advanced for < 9th grade children. Since the organizations feel ashamed that they're failing certain demographics as evidenced by being under-represented in the advanced classes, they're just scrapping the advanced classes for everyone. Truly disgraceful

How old is a 9th grade student in the US? My cohort started Algebra in year 7 in Australia, which is 12/13 years old. And similar to GP's proposal, we learn age appropriate topics every single year, every single week.

Take the grade and add 5. We generally start Kindergarten at 5 ( kinda grade 0 ).

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#129

Post by ibejoeb »

tomatofarmer wrote: post #55
ng12 wrote: post #21

> applies social justice principles to math lessons. ... huh? Does anyone know what this looks like?

They teach that math is subjective. Objectivity is the corner stone of white supremacy. > "The concept of mathematics being purely objective is unequivocally false, and teaching it is even much less so. Upholding the idea that there are always right and wrong answers perpetuate objectivity as well as fear of open conflict." https://equitablemath.org/ https://www.newsweek.com/math-suffers-white-supremacy-accord...

From the text:

  Incorporate the history of mathematics into lessons.
     • Verbal Example: Why do you think we call it Pythagorean’s theorem, when it was used before he was even born? What should we call it instead?
You can only cram so many failures into one excerpt...

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#130

Post by nostrademons »

The irony is that this is probably going to exacerbate social injustice. Cupertino kids are going to be taking extracurricular math through RSM or Kumon in elementary school, and then the Cupertino school district (in the article) says that they have no intention to comply with the recommendations. SF kids aren't going to be exposed to algebra until 9th grade and then get a rude awakening in college when they realize all the cool courses have pre-reqs.

I've heard a good argument that algebra specifically should be moved the other way: teach it in elementary school, when kids are first exposed to arithmetic. There's a really natural progression from addition/subtraction/zero and multiplication/division/one to inverses and identities, and from addition/multiplication to distribution and associativity. My 3-year-old understands that if he has 5 raspberries on his fingers and he takes away one, he has 4, and then if he grabs another one and puts it on his finger, he has 5 again. Not a huge leap from there to the concept of equations, inverse operations, and solving for unknowns.

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