But I Suck at Math: Rhizomatic Trickle Down Effect part 2
This week Bonnie Stewart (@bonstewart) retweeted the following:
This problem upset me on many levels. As an English instructor the typo drove me mad. As someone who adores math this problem was symbolic of larger issues. It is problems like this as I stated in my response is that
We have an ethical responsibility as teachers to make sure that the problems we set out are solvable. How they are solvable can vary but we can't let tiredness or rushing lead to problems like this. These kinds or problems are esteem killers. They make students hate math. They have a rhizomatic trickle down, like citation. It takes a few poorly constructed problem to create a lifetime of anxiety.
Someone in the response thread had suggested that maybe this was done on purpose to demonstrate critical thinking and the like. However, if this is something given to someone in 3rd grade I don't know how they could have the educational consciousness to take away the lesson that could teach. I could be wrong of course, this is why we have courses like #rhizo14 to encourage debate, to see where things lead, but this problem really stuck with me this week and continues to do so as we discuss cheating as a weapon for both good and evil.
uh... RT @gfrblxt Please explain this math question to me (from my 3rd grade daughter's HW). Please. #mathchat pic.twitter.com/tQ0OT4aPfc #ed473
— Bonnie Stewart (@bonstewart) January 15, 2014
This problem upset me on many levels. As an English instructor the typo drove me mad. As someone who adores math this problem was symbolic of larger issues. It is problems like this as I stated in my response is that
@bonstewart @gfrblxt see exactly, negative pedagogical enforcement through faulty narratives in problems. Shakes head.
— Ann Gagne (@AnnGagne) January 15, 2014
We have an ethical responsibility as teachers to make sure that the problems we set out are solvable. How they are solvable can vary but we can't let tiredness or rushing lead to problems like this. These kinds or problems are esteem killers. They make students hate math. They have a rhizomatic trickle down, like citation. It takes a few poorly constructed problem to create a lifetime of anxiety.
Someone in the response thread had suggested that maybe this was done on purpose to demonstrate critical thinking and the like. However, if this is something given to someone in 3rd grade I don't know how they could have the educational consciousness to take away the lesson that could teach. I could be wrong of course, this is why we have courses like #rhizo14 to encourage debate, to see where things lead, but this problem really stuck with me this week and continues to do so as we discuss cheating as a weapon for both good and evil.
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