You Do the Math/OTA Day

Yeh, a linkfest, but first: can your kids do simple (really simple) math?

A people who cannot do math are easily fooled by false statistics and prone to falling prey to fallacious arguments. Simple arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) form the foundation for learning how to use numbers with understanding. Heck, simple arithmetic like that demonstrated in the video below is useful in everyday life, because we always have the calculator that’s located between our ears, and facility with numbers can often be faster and easier for on-the-spot calculations than dragging out an electronic calculator when doing price comparisons while shopping, figuring board feet at the lumber yard, etc.

But “educators” (specifically NOT teachers) have managed once again (remember “new math” anyone?) to make simple arithmetic complex enough to ensure failure. (But surely all those “smart” people in schools of education know what they are doing? Surely?)

Watch the video and then check to see what textbook is used in your school district, and what it teaches. I know what’s being used in our local district, and once again the unholy alliance of local school administrators, remote educrats and schools of education have managed to frustrate teachers and students in the pursuit of learning here in America’s Third World Countyâ„¢.

When you stop throwing things, get out there and find out what your local schools are teaching. Make some noise if it is “misundereducating” the youth of your community, cos those are future voters and workers, folks.

Want to make more noise? Go here. It’s mentioned in the video above, but what the heck, I’m a reasonably full-service kinda guy.

Once again a h.t. to a contributor at Chaos Manor Musings.

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Right Pundits, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Random Yak, Adam’s Blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Cao’s Blog, Conservative Cat, Faultline USA, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, Renaissance Blogger, Planck’s Constant, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

For more info on comparing the crap methods—which do little other than adding complexity and multiplying failure points in math processes—taught in these new approaches, here’s a response from someone who has a little more maths knowledge.

N.B.—Yeh, I fixed some of the most blatant typos. My editor was outa pocket and so didn’t catch them (I usually just put a mouse in my pocket and refer to myself as “we” or “us” but not when blogging… :-))