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Atelus · Oct 6, 2006, 11:37 pm

It has been brought to my attention that the Texas Senate has recently
passed a school reform bill requiring, among other things, that
"students take four years of math and science for graduation."
KBTX | School Reform Bill. I for one am opposed
to such a requirement and add an implication to the many discussed in
the article Increased High School Graduation Requirements Approved:
KLTV 7 Tyler-Longview-Jacksonville, TX: Increased High School Graduation Requirements Approved.
It waters down the education.

Requiring students to take one more year of math and science might
sound good but to me it just holds back students who are actually
interested in the subjects and keeps other students from classes they
might find more interesting.

I took four years of math and science but that was because I was
interested in those areas. Before my senior year I was plagued with
people who did not care and slowed down the pace of the class,
effectively keeping me and many others from learning more. When I got
to my fourth year of math and science everyone in those classes signed
themselves up, they wanted to learn the material. The same goes for any
other class or extracurricular activity.

Besides my personal experience in school there is the practical
application of what a student will learn in that extra year of math and
science. For example, as I was helping my girlfriend type a paper on
Pythagoras, amongst other philosophers of the time, I wanted to put a
sentence in there about how the Pythagorean Theorem is applicable to
daily life. To which she responded, "I haven't used that theorem
since high school." It was a bit of an epiphany. I have used the
theorem just about everyday since I learned it, it is because of my
field of study but that is the point. It might be good for her to know
it but she doesn't need it for what she does. The same goes for
Trigonometry, Calculus, Mechanics and Electromagnetism.

The problem is why are they mandating students to take courses that
they will never use? If a student is interested they can still take it
even if they will never need it for what they plan on doing.

This debate parallels the debate that "'We need to create a
college-going culture in every school,' [says] Paredes, the Texas
commissioner of higher education." to which I feel same as the above.
http://www.topix.net/content/kri/067...81102879014487....

Feel free to speak on either topic. I want to know your opinions and
experiences.

Oct 6, 2006, 11:37 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
Atelus Sedimentary Rock Posts: 1	Education It has been brought to my attention that the Texas Senate has recently passed a school reform bill requiring, among other things, that "students take four years of math and science for graduation." KBTX \| School Reform Bill. I for one am opposed to such a requirement and add an implication to the many discussed in the article Increased High School Graduation Requirements Approved: KLTV 7 Tyler-Longview-Jacksonville, TX: Increased High School Graduation Requirements Approved. It waters down the education. Requiring students to take one more year of math and science might sound good but to me it just holds back students who are actually interested in the subjects and keeps other students from classes they might find more interesting. I took four years of math and science but that was because I was interested in those areas. Before my senior year I was plagued with people who did not care and slowed down the pace of the class, effectively keeping me and many others from learning more. When I got to my fourth year of math and science everyone in those classes signed themselves up, they wanted to learn the material. The same goes for any other class or extracurricular activity. Besides my personal experience in school there is the practical application of what a student will learn in that extra year of math and science. For example, as I was helping my girlfriend type a paper on Pythagoras, amongst other philosophers of the time, I wanted to put a sentence in there about how the Pythagorean Theorem is applicable to daily life. To which she responded, "I haven't used that theorem since high school." It was a bit of an epiphany. I have used the theorem just about everyday since I learned it, it is because of my field of study but that is the point. It might be good for her to know it but she doesn't need it for what she does. The same goes for Trigonometry, Calculus, Mechanics and Electromagnetism. The problem is why are they mandating students to take courses that they will never use? If a student is interested they can still take it even if they will never need it for what they plan on doing. This debate parallels the debate that "'We need to create a college-going culture in every school,' [says] Paredes, the Texas commissioner of higher education." to which I feel same as the above. http://www.topix.net/content/kri/067...81102879014487.... Feel free to speak on either topic. I want to know your opinions and experiences.