Re: [seul-edu] Math teachers...

["malonowa" <malonowa@wanadoo.fr>]

I agree with this.

As well, I don't see why one couldn't use a spreadsheet for real world
simulations. The 'how', 'why' and 'what would happen if' scenarios fit well
into spreadsheet work given just a little imagination. I should think lesson
plans and simulation ideas using common applications are just as useful as
preconceived simulation programs.

I've seen good work done with bog standard applications - people often
underestimate just how flexible word processors, databases and spreadsheets
are as teaching tools right across the curriculum. E-mail's good also -
although I've only seen that used with younger pupils in local history
simulations.

I suppose using generic tools such as these involves more work for the
teacher and most are already short of time as it is.

Roman.

----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Hedemark <hedemark@bops.com>
To: <seul-edu@seul.org>
Sent: vendredi 21 juillet 2000 23:32
Subject: RE: [seul-edu] Math teachers...


> Let's back up here a moment.  What I am about to say is going to challenge
> what most of you may take for granted.  But hopefully you're open minded
to
> consider the ramifications of it objectively.
>
> What is the purpose of school?
>
> How is that purpose best served?
>
> Teaching pure math has its place.  But the end test of whether or not
> teachers have done right by there students is when students go into the
real
> world and have to face practical applications of what they've learned in
> school.  What good has school done me if I've gotten to Trig 2 but don't
> know how to amortize a mortgage?
>
> Teaching the pure skills is something that math teachers will always have
to
> do.  But teaching practical applications of skills, even basic skills, is
> something that should always happen through all levels of education.
>
> Chris Hedemark
> System Administrator
> Billions of Operations Per Second, Inc.
> 6340 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 210
> Chapel Hill, NC 27514
> email: hedemark@bops.com <mailto:hedemark@bops.com>
> "It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a
> fool!" - Ecclesiastes 7
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ray Olszewski [mailto:ray@comarre.com]
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 2:23 PM
> To: seul-edu@seul.org; 'seul-edu@seul.org'
> Subject: RE: [seul-edu] Math teachers...
>
>
> At 08:17 AM 7/21/00 -0400, Chris Hedemark wrote:
> >Individual skills run through simulators can be a lot of fun.  Back in
high
> >school we did a stock market simulation.  Everyone started out with some
> >funny money and was allowed to use it to participate in any of the
> >securities covered in the Wall Street Journal and/or NYT.  Since real
life
> >daytraders do most of their work through a PC, it can be a reasonable
> >facsimile of real life.
> >...
>
> No doubt these things are "a lot of fun" and sometimes "a reasonable
> facsimile of real life". The question Doug raised, though (at least by
> implication), is what *math* skills they teach. Your example, and the
> simulations Chris mentioned, seem mostly to teach 4-function arithmetic,
> percentages, weighted averages, and other grade-school-level math content,
> not what I think of as high-school math (algebra, geometry, trig, calculus
> ... or am I out of date?).
>
> I had originally started to reply to Chris' first posting with a response
> about availability of spreadsheet software, Mathematica, and other serious
> tools for doing mathematics. His listing of what the math department
> actually used stopped me (as well as prompting me to verify that he really
> was at a high school, not a junior high).
>
>
> --
> ------------------------------------"Never tell me the odds!"---
> Ray Olszewski                                        -- Han Solo
> Palo Alto, CA                    ray@comarre.com
> ----------------------------------------------------------------