Holy Moo Moo, how many times have you heard that question after you just taught the class how to multiply polynomials or how to graph a line using slope-intercept form?...
When are we ever going to use this? >>
Holy Moo Moo, how many times have you heard that question after you just taught the class how to multiply polynomials or how to graph a line using slope-intercept form? The answer is, in all honesty, NEVER. So what’s the point? Why teach these kids something they’ll never use unless they somehow get inspired to become an Algebra teacher at a local high school? It’s a battle I fight everyday in my Algebra 1 classroom.
One day this past week, I just broke down and told the students sitting in their cute little desks with their confused, beady white eyes, that they would never have to sit down at their job and use the FOIL method unless they were a math teacher. There’s no sense in lying, right? Well crap, I’ve told them they don’t need to learn what I have to teach them. How in this world can I get them to work now?
There are tons of everyday applications in math classes like geometry, trig, and calculus for those future engineers in my class, but for those average kids that hate math you really have to search for everyday life skills that use algebra. Well here’s the answer, at least the only one I’ve come up with.
It’s the logical thinking process. I tell the students that later down the road they will use this foundation in higher math classes but more importantly, they’re going to make logical decisions quicker and better with a knowledge of algebra. Now, am I blowing smoke up their rear-ends? Who knows, but if it gets them to turn to page 471 in their books and do problems 16-36 evens, then I’ll go with it.
So, I guess what I’m saying is, lying isn’t always that bad. You gotta do what you gotta do, right? Why do the kids really need algebra? Any more b.s. answers?
Published February 1, 2010 by Julia
teachingequals >>
February 1, 2010 at 5:24 pm
New Post >> When are we ever going to use this? http://teachingequals.com/blog/use-this/...
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Phil Warner >>
February 16, 2010 at 2:41 am
OK, I don’t think your answer is B.S…. it’s actually the one I use practically every day with my students. Granted, I teach music, but also teach a ton of stuff my kids don’t actually need. I mean, even music teachers don’t have practical application for memorizing the time periods of dead guys who wrote music.
But there’s actually legitimacy to your smoke screen. There’s a lot of people who simply don’t know how to think or how to assimilate new knowledge, let alone apply it or think logically. So we must teach logic, teach history – teach whatever we are passionate about to create learners. That’s the whole point.
But honestly, after a number of years of teaching, while this is my motivation – to create learners and well rounded people, the kids don’t buy it. My advice, buy candy and bribe them. It works most days, and if it doesn’t work, eat some yourself. The sugar sedates the anger and frustration. Happy teaching :)