Food For Thought

 

Is Algebra Necessary?

In a recent New York Times article, columnist Andrew Hacker questions whether teaching high school students Algebra is the most effective use of academic teaching time.  He argues that perhaps as a nation, we need to look more closely at the benefits (or lack thereof) of pushing higher math on students who may not be ready, (or interested).  He quotes statistics for our country, that one out of every four 9th graders fails to finish high school.  "Making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent. In the interest of maintaining rigor, we’re actually depleting our pool of brainpower."  Follow this link to read the whole article!    Is Algebra Necessary?