With you being a professor of Mathematics and everything, I have a question for you. Why does the curriculum not focus on the deep understanding of mathematics as much, and more on the memorization of the formulas etc? Usually we just say, sure E=mc^2, that is Energy, and there you have it. Why exactly does the (mass) multiplied by the (speed of light)^2 = Energy though?

Yes it is, thanks!

Baked

It seems like everything in public education is being done exactly wrong. From standardized testing to dumbed down curriculum the schools seem designed to nullify curiosity and stifle creativity.

I believe schools need to be reinvigorated with a grass roots, homegrown curriculum movement giving shared decision making back to the students, their families and teachers and removed from the control of corporate style administrators.

What do you think?

would the judge say that? i wanna sue the world for damages, but god never shows up as a defense attorney.

pretty creative chain of rationalizing, too bad im not religous or i would sue the world

A short CV: I went back to school to get my M Ed and became a teacher 10 years ago after 22 years in the food and wine biz having attained "expert" status locally especially in regards to Italian wine. Unlike many teachers I brought a wealth of life experience with me when I began teaching. I've been working in the same middle school for 7 years now, the first 3 teaching 8th graders Algebra and pre-Algebra. When I completed my endorsement in Library Media I was fortunate to transition in the same building, the previous librarian decided to retire. By now I have a good grasp on the big picture in my building, the district and the state and national systems; plus years of close observation.

The library program that I deliver is hindered in several ways but I just want to bring up the amount of time that I do not deliver information literacy skills and become a test administrator, clerk and proctor. It is 40% of year. Book check out is greatly curtailed during that testing period. All productive use, in terms of students producing work in association with school assignments, of the 64 computers that I oversee ceases. There is a slim window of time after school when there is student access to the resources.

The irony to me is thus. The school district restricts access to Google plus because Google data mines. The district spends $$$ on inadequate content management systems that Google would provide free of charge. We then pay outside companies to set up and administer standardized testing systems that generate data which is then mined by the companies setting standards for which they develop curricula that they then sell back when the district should have been charging them for the wealth of data that we supplied to them.

Are you following this?

Good points. Thank you for sharing them.

Religion and spirituality in general are pretty useful . Through it suicide rates could go down dramatically regardless of economic status. Besides of all the other beneficial effect it can offer.

I'd rather be bird brained than lame brained.

These exchanges have been delightful.

I wouldn't mind switching topics. Education Reform?

Thanks for posting to my thread! Very stimulating.

None-the-less for me and many others his Metaphysics is exquisite, on a par with Calculus which was developed contemporaneously and about which you undoubtedly know far more than I.

That's HUGE, I agree.

I'm familiar with Einstein's expression concerning Spinoza; it resonates with me.

So, you read the Ethics and didn't like the Geometrical proof? Or the TTP, which had such a huge impact on the formation of our republican system of government. Or his explication of Descartes? Or his optical work with Leeuwenhoek?

Does your dis-favor of Spinoza come from something he said or did or something someone else said he said or did?

Meta commentary on forum rules not related to the thread.

Nice on the link, really starting to roll with this math stuff.

Very well put! Is it ok if I end up quoting you irl?