🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <84pjv094bifi6mls09e3a8qqc0efp49v44@4ax.com>,
Bob LeChevalier  <lojbab@lojban.org> wrote:
>Jay Kadis <jay@ccrma.stanford.edu> wrote:
>>In article <ctbd3h$1j8c@odds.stat.purdue.edu>,
>> hrubin@odds.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) wrote:

>>> How would one get statistics on this?  Let the subject matter
>>> scholars question the teachers on their knowledge of the basics,
>>> and you will find few in mathematics or science who would 
>>> challenge this statement.  But there is no way that you would
>>> get the establishment to agree to this test.  

>>That is pure speculation on your part.  There are examinations that all teachers 
>>must pass to become certified.

>To Herman, those tests do not cover "mathematics".  To him mathematics
>has little to do with the courses that mathematics teachers teach,
>which is why he finds that mathematics teachers don't understand the
>sorts of stuff he thinks is important.

>Herman has stated that there are many with math degrees who do not
>really understand mathematics.  It is not surprising that he finds
>teachers lacking in the understanding that he and his colleagues fail
>to provide to those to whom they award degrees.

Most of my colleagues would insist that they have this
understanding.  There are several things which prevent
this.  Suppose the Purdue Mathematics Department insisted
on this for teacher candidates, which it could put into
effect.  What are the possible consequences of doing this,
which for students at this stage, would very likely be a
total failure.

I can think of several alternatives, none good.  One of the
simplest is that prospective teachers will go elsewhere, to
schools which are willing to teach the current trivia.  The
school district officials are unlikely to take the quality
of the mathematics program into account; they are almost
to a person those who feel that all children of a given age
should be learning the same material, and it matters little
what is being taught.  Another possibility is that the
mathematics requirements for teachers get taught by the
education department.  It may even end up with the
administration hiring "education" teachers to do it in the
mathematics department, and insist that they be full voting
members.  Harvard and Princeton and MII might be able to
get away with it, but with the Federal government essentially
providing all of the research support, even this might not
be the case.

-- 
This address is for information only.  I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@stat.purdue.edu         Phone: (765)494-6054   FAX: (765)494-0558