NY Professor Says Algebra Is Too Hard, Schools Should Drop It

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Comments

  • Smokey Tha Bandit
    Smokey Tha Bandit Members Posts: 3,779 ✭✭✭✭✭
    glad to hear algebra was so easy for alot of you but the truth is that it is not for a lot of people. Doesnt change the fact the ? is completely USELESS. Miss me with that "its the key to the universe, logic, solving problems, blah blah ? blah". I call ? .
  • LUClEN
    LUClEN Members Posts: 20,559 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra was always my favorite
  • Neophyte Wolfgang
    Neophyte Wolfgang Members Posts: 4,169 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You know what's crazy, algebra use to be hard for me in high school. Then again I never applied myself to it (hated math) now as I am older, I am better at algebra with out studying it for over 10 years, like they drilled it in to my head and I got it, but I just was super ADD
  • reapin505
    reapin505 Members Posts: 4,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    L3NU wrote: »
    reapin505 wrote: »
    Ajackson17 wrote: »
    reapin505 wrote: »
    ? math in general, algebra was the reason I dropped out because I couldn't ? understand it. I don't see its uses in the work force and I don't believe it is key to having problem solving skills and critical thinking in life. The formulas in science(chemistry and physics) even had my ? stumped granted I eventually got those because I enjoy science to an extent.

    However, to get rid of it entirely is ? . I have always preferred writing, reading, and history in school, I've always hated math but I have seen people who excel at it move on to greater things than I feel I could right now. I believe that if I worked hard enough I could have graduated high school with a 4.0 and be in college with a scholarship right now studying for whatever I have to take for Archeology/history major and figure out HTML/code and such for a computer related side job instead of busing tables and dish washing at Village Inn. I don't think algebra should be required to graduate, but I think that students should take it at least in order to give themselves a chance at advancing towards whatever goal they may have. People need challenges in order to thrive in life. An easy life breeds weak men.

    You had a poor teacher. Algebra is the first step to understanding the universe and life itself. Because everything comes to a mathematical formula.

    I was never any good with math.


    Hell no one in my family is except for maybe my ? sister.

    Lol I would say your sister is the only one who isn't a ? then

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    Quiet you.
  •   Colin$mackabi$h
    Colin$mackabi$h Members Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    As a guy who hated math since middle school and ran from it like jason Voorhees, I never understood the reason for numbers used in everyday life, I never understood any of my teachers try to explain it either.

    The only folks I seen through out my life that was good in math never really explained what is so easy about this math thing to other lost souls. I would love to learn algebra and all that just for the fun of it but where to start? I would think its much more than memory and copying notes. Imo if they take it away from schools they better off just getting rid of school altogether, why not just make it into another ? prison with no hope, nothing to gain and everything to fear.
  • $tayRichROLLIN
    $tayRichROLLIN Members Posts: 2,142 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....
  •   Colin$mackabi$h
    Colin$mackabi$h Members Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    Thats a good idea. I mean why have an economy if your not teaching others to help build it strong?

  • Maximus Rex
    Maximus Rex Members Posts: 6,354 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So all of y'all that are saying that algebra is useless, I guess you don't want black youth becoming structural engineers, mechanical enginners, chemists, physicists, bioloigists, doctors, programmers and all of those other STEM careers. It isn't so much that alegbra is hard, it's that the way they teach is ? up, and a way needs to be found so that the average person and students slow in the subject can do well in it. This coming from a person that who hates math, can't do anything beyond simple fractions, and only passed the midterm and final Algebra 2 in college because Rex had a clear view of one of my classmates answers on the answer sheet.
  • Melanin_Enriched
    Melanin_Enriched Members Posts: 22,868 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    Yea if adding and subtracting is hard kids will definately grasp those concepts
  • Ajackson17
    Ajackson17 Members Posts: 22,501 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Black people want to get rid of a actual toll to teach us. A community that can't do algebra smfh
  • atribecalledgabi
    atribecalledgabi Members, Moderators Posts: 14,063 Regulator
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    My hs did that but it was only one semester during senior year. I had no problem with math in school but if they built on econ the way they did other math, it would be more interesting.
  • Stiff
    Stiff Members Posts: 7,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    Yea if adding and subtracting is hard kids will definately grasp those concepts

    But thats real life ? tho..if a kid fails at that then you can say "oh ok that's gonna be a loser"

    Thats better than kids failing at subjects that ultimately don't matter and more likely than not won't contribute to their well-being. Algebra is cool but it's basically glorified busy work. Kids should be challenged but why not challenge them with stuff they can use?
  • zzombie
    zzombie Members Posts: 11,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Stiff wrote: »
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    Yea if adding and subtracting is hard kids will definately grasp those concepts

    But thats real life ? tho..if a kid fails at that then you can say "oh ok that's gonna be a loser"

    Thats better than kids failing at subjects that ultimately don't matter and more likely than not won't contribute to their well-being. Algebra is cool but it's basically glorified busy work. Kids should be challenged but why not challenge them with stuff they can use?

    You have to learn algebra this is 2016 technology is only going to get more complex if you cannot discipline yourself enough to learn algebra you will be doomed to low wage poverty
  • Stiff
    Stiff Members Posts: 7,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    zzombie wrote: »
    Stiff wrote: »
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    Yea if adding and subtracting is hard kids will definately grasp those concepts

    But thats real life ? tho..if a kid fails at that then you can say "oh ok that's gonna be a loser"

    Thats better than kids failing at subjects that ultimately don't matter and more likely than not won't contribute to their well-being. Algebra is cool but it's basically glorified busy work. Kids should be challenged but why not challenge them with stuff they can use?

    You have to learn algebra this is 2016 technology is only going to get more complex if you cannot discipline yourself enough to learn algebra you will be doomed to low wage poverty

    If youre going to teach algebra how about incorporate it with some real world applications like programming? It seems like teaching itself has stagnated and ain't keeping up with technology.

    As it is now even if you learn algebra you still may end up stuck in poverty because good luck turning your algebra skills into income.
  • zzombie
    zzombie Members Posts: 11,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Stiff wrote: »
    zzombie wrote: »
    Stiff wrote: »
    Ok I have a question..... So you guys don't think algebra should be dropped and teach finances instead. I mean economics, financial planning, stocks bonds dividends....

    Yea if adding and subtracting is hard kids will definately grasp those concepts

    But thats real life ? tho..if a kid fails at that then you can say "oh ok that's gonna be a loser"

    Thats better than kids failing at subjects that ultimately don't matter and more likely than not won't contribute to their well-being. Algebra is cool but it's basically glorified busy work. Kids should be challenged but why not challenge them with stuff they can use?

    You have to learn algebra this is 2016 technology is only going to get more complex if you cannot discipline yourself enough to learn algebra you will be doomed to low wage poverty

    If youre going to teach algebra how about incorporate it with some real world applications like programming? It seems like teaching itself has stagnated and ain't keeping up with technology.

    As it is now even if you learn algebra you still may end up stuck in poverty because good luck turning your algebra skills into income.

    Usually in a technical or sophisticated field before you are taught how to practically use your information you have to learn the concepts.

    You cannot be a programmer unless you learn algebra. The goal of schools is to prepare you to go where you want to go. if you can't learn algebra you are severely limited in your destinations. You may never use algebra depending on where you want to go, but in the future those who end up in poverty and those who don't will come down to their command of math. Therefore not teaching algebra as it has traditionally been taught is ? stupid