The sequence of math courses in high school in the US is kind of weird from a modern standpoint, because it was developed at a time when it was assumed that a lot of kids wouldn't go past tenth grade, and so the curriculum-makers then decided that the most important things were the basics of algebra and geometry, and then everything else, for those kids who finished high school, could come later.

Personally, I think that it would be best to combine pre-algebra, Algebra I, and Algebra II into a two-year sequence, then follow that with geometry, and then trig and pre-calc, then calculus.

In terms of students I've seen, I'd say that the biggest problem people have with calculus is when the come in without a strong grasp of algebra. Also, there are a whole lot of people who can't follow an algorithm, and then another lot of people who can only solve a problem if it involves following an algorithm. (Um. I feel like I'm getting into a rant here, and I know I've ranted this rant here before. I'll stop now.)

Also, I'm horrible at arithmetic. From what I've seen, most mathematicians are. We can all do things like calculating tips, because that's just moving decimal points around and cutting things in half, but most of us would need a calculator for balancing a checkbook.

ita, some flavors for you: [link]

Groups Protest Cannibalism in Video Games

November 29,2005 | WASHINGTON -- Video games glamorizing guns and violence have long drawn the ire of media watchdog groups. This holiday season, they say they have found a bloody new wrinkle to hate: cannibalism.

Games featuring graphic scenes of cannibalism, "F.E.A.R." and "Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse," were among the 12 "games to avoid" listed Tuesday by the National Institute on Media and the Family.

"It's something we've never seen before," said institute president David Walsh, warning that today's games are "more extreme" and more easily available to underage kids than ever before.

In "Stubbs the Zombie," the lead character eats the brains of humans as blood splatters across the screen.

"It's just the worst kind of message to kids," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who joined institute officials at a press conference announcing the group's 10th annual video game report card. "They can be dangerous to your children's health."

So the game "Stubbs the Zombie" might send a message to kids that zombieism is cool? Kids might emulate Stubbs and start killing people and eating their brains?

Math and I parted ways in the middle of Algebra 2. Once I was out of that class I never went near math again.

Math is very very sorry and wants you to come back.

I really wish we could have a Buffista Retreat Week. We could do Math for Grownups Who Can Articulate Their Feelings, and nobody would have to do problem sets who didn't want to. I made a class full of people think calculus might possibly be not all that bad after all, dammit! Because, yeah, some people do have more of an aptitude for it than others, but that doesn't mean it ought to be torture for anyone!

I'm a wee bit tipsy and in love with the math right now. Math is looking at me askance and saying it needs to get up early in the morning, but that's okay. Math understands my foibles.

(Today my terribly energetic and adorable algebra teacher said, "Okay! Today we're going to go back to fourth grade, only we're going to do it right this time!" Sometimes math isn't austere and proper -- sometimes it's bouncy and gamine. Okay, I am more tipsy than I'd actually realized. My anthropomorphizations and I are headed off to bed. I have no idea what I just spelled, but it was scary. Look at that! It's gigantic and freakish! Er, anyway. I'm totally nervous about my first job interview in six years. Wish me luck!)

On my way home, I stopped at the grocery store. My purchases were Kleenex, sudafed, nyquil, OJ, lemon juice, and prepackaged food for dinner.

The woman packing everything up asked me very cheerfully "so how are you today".

Last August, I went into a drugstore in Orlando with prescriptions for antibiotics for two different kids and for three different asthma meds, two nebulized and one oral, and told the pharmacist we weren't in his computer because we were from out of state. He said, "Oh, my, you're having a wonderful vacation, aren't you?"

(Actually, I had complained about the pace we were planning, because I had wanted to do something more relaxing...we slowed things down a lot, and nobody was seriously ill, so it wasn't all that bad.)

Those are great flavours, bon! But if they were being truly respectful of the culture, they'd not have included alcohol in Zion or Rasta.

The Colbert Report is fabulous this evening. Stephen "Mr. Scrappy" Colbert is being hilarious.

I really wish we could have a Buffista Retreat Week. We could do Math for Grownups Who Can Articulate Their Feelings, and nobody would have to do problem sets who didn't want to. I made a class full of people think calculus might possibly be not all that bad after all, dammit! Because, yeah, some people do have more of an aptitude for it than others, but that doesn't mean it ought to be torture for anyone!

I'm a wee bit tipsy and in love with the math right now. Math is looking at me askance and saying it needs to get up early in the morning, but that's okay. Math understands my foibles.

"Oh, my, you're having a wonderful vacation, aren't you?"

Em, are you cheating on Education with Math?

antibiotics for two different kids and for three different asthma meds, two nebulized and one oral

ACK! Parenting is more complex than the frickin' brochure claimed!

I think that it would be best to combine pre-algebra, Algebra I, and Algebra II into a two-year sequence, then follow that with geometry, and then trig and pre-calc, then calculus.

I think there should be multiple tracks. With HS science classes, if physics wasn't your bag you could at least think, maybe biology will be more interesting. Deciding to take algebra2/trig in 10th grade meant I had to take pre-cal in 11th grade, and I had to take calculus in 12th grade. Well, or fail completely and retake a class, but that wasn't an appealing option. When I rule the world, there will be the standard algebra-trig-calc track, or you can take stuff like stats, logic, & economics instead. Which is shit more people should know, anyway.

Plus, then the people who are taking algebra would either want to be there, or could comfort themselves by thinking, "At least it isn't statistics." Knowing you have a choice makes a difference, even if you're only choosing the lesser evil.