New Math
Tom Lehrer was right when he said the "New Math was so simple only a child could do it."
I had this conversation this morning with Brian M., who has children the same age as mine, so I knew he could relate to helping kids with math homework.
Me: God, I must be getting old
Brian: oh?
Me: I had to look up 'stem and leaf' plots on google to help Diana with her homework
Brian: ??
Brian: what's a stem and leaf plot?
Me: ha!
Me: http://regentsprep.org/Regents/Math/data/stemleaf.htm
Me: I feel better now
Add just for kicks and giggles, here's the song by Tom Lehrer that I mentioned above.
Comments
That's got to be the most retarded way of organizing data I've ever seen.
Seriously.
Posted by: Derek![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.teradoty.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 15, 2006 9:31 AM
Actually, to add one other thing, it only exemplifies how, if I ever spawn, there will be home-schooling in their future, because stuff like that is just useless in the real world. Nobody *does that* in the real world...
Posted by: Derek![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.teradoty.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 15, 2006 9:32 AM
11 year old explained it to me. I can now do it the new way. I just can't figure out why. She only sort of understands, and who can blame her.
Posted by: danB | September 15, 2006 10:11 AM
is it maybe an attempt to mimic database storage? OK, these values are all 40's so we group them and just show the single position. Even if that is correct, I still don't know how that would help a child learn.
Posted by: danB | September 15, 2006 10:16 AM
How Derek would raise kids...
{insert Scooby-Doo dissolve}
Kid: "Ma'am, how is this useful?"
Teacher: "It's on the math exam."
Kid: "No, I mean, what is the practical application of this?"
Teacher: "Well, you can group these numbers like so."
Kid: "No, I mean, when in the real world, when I grow up, will this information ever be useful. For instance, when was the last time you had to do this in your day to day life?"
Teacher: {stammers}
Posted by: Derek![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.teradoty.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 15, 2006 10:20 AM
I just balanced my checkbook with "New Math", and guess what......
I'M RICH!!!!
Now I'll just have to "show my work" to a teller, and I'm sure they'll see their error and make a deposit into my account right away.
Posted by: Brian M | September 15, 2006 4:54 PM