Eliminating Geometry from High School?

[rochem]

Cross-posted from the SML. I have my own opinions, but lets see what everyone else says. Does anyone staunchly support this?

What's the big idea?: Replace high-school geometry with entrepreneurship - The Washington Post

 

[ScottT]

Not at all. I personally use geometry on a daily basis and couldn't imagine someone starting a company in this business without knowing geometry.

 

[zmb]

Replace English instead of Geometry and now we're talking.

 

[chausman]

I say no, they shouldn't replace geometry with a business class. While that does apply to some people, and what they would like to do, but if you are going to be a doctor, or a elementary school teacher, do you need to have a class dedicated to running a business?

And I don't just say this because I am currently in Geometry


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[Footer]

Not at all. I personally use geometry on a daily basis and couldn't imagine someone starting a company in this business without knowing geometry.

Unless you want to become a promoter....

I have personally believed for awhile that there are several high school classes that should go away and be replaced with a more open concept. We are in a business that uses geometry and algebra, however, how often do we use biology and earth science? Those classes to me could have never happened and I would be fine today. As the pendulum swing back from the "Everyone must get a college degree to succeed in life", these questions are going to start coming up more and more.

 

[shiben]

Isnt that what the whole point of a business degree is for? Anyone who actually wants to start a business will take business classes at College and learn that way. I think the real problem is that students get taught geometry and then are given "you will need to know this because" examples that are absolutely moronic. Our textbook had "if you are a race car driver" as a "real world example". Anyone here a pro race car driver? And honestly, is a class in business really gonna help the kids who end up flipping burgers? I dont know, I get the impression that things were fine until people got lazy, but thats just me... No amount of classes in anything are gonna help that out.

 

[shiben]

Unless you want to become a promoter....

I have personally believed for awhile that there are several high school classes that should go away and be replaced with a more open concept. We are in a business that uses geometry and algebra, however, how often do we use biology and earth science? Those classes to me could have never happened and I would be fine today. As the pendulum swing back from the "Everyone must get a college degree to succeed in life", these questions are going to start coming up more and more.

I liked biology tho. Where else do you get to dissect stuff?

 

[len]

The percentage of people in America who will retire from the same field that they started in 40 - 50 years earlier is shrinking and shrinking. Students need to be exposed to a lot of different disciplines in school. And they need to be able to explore more interests. Geometry isn't for everyone, but neither is running a business, or chemistry, or English.

 

[MPowers]

This is all IMHO. A course on entrepreneurship would be a very good thin in 21st century education. BUT, not at the expense of geometry OR English. English is far too overlooked by many people today. (can of worms here, now I'll probably make some terrible grammatical or spelling error in this post which all the grammar police will have to point out!) I'm often embarrassed for my boss, the Company Pres/owner, when I receive copies of correspondence he has sent out with multiple your-you're, There-their-they're, here-hear type of mistakes. I get stage hands on an install crew and I ask them to layout a center line square to the plaster line and they can't do it. I ask shop crew to figure the sq ft of carpet runner needed for a political rally and they can't do it.

I wish there had been such a class as entrepreneurship when I was in school, it would have helped me a lot over the years. I feel everyone who has to run a home or a business would benefit from a course in entrepreneurship.

All the above, IMHO.

 

[techieman33]

This is all IMHO. A course on entrepreneurship would be a very good thin in 21st century education. BUT, not at the expense of geometry OR English. English is far too overlooked by many people today. (can of worms here, now I'll probably make some terrible grammatical or spelling error in this post which all the grammar police will have to point out!) I'm often embarrassed for my boss, the Company Pres/owner, when I receive copies of correspondence he has sent out with multiple your-you're, There-their-they're, here-hear type of mistakes. I get stage hands on an install crew and I ask them to layout a center line square to the plaster line and they can't do it. I ask shop crew to figure the sq ft of carpet runner needed for a political rally and they can't do it.

I wish there had been such a class as entrepreneurship when I was in school, it would have helped me a lot over the years. I feel everyone who has to run a home or a business would benefit from a course in entrepreneurship.

All the above, IMHO.

I think if it covered home/personal finances for a semester, and business for a semester it would be much more valuable to everyone. My vote would be the class I proposed as required, and geometry as an elective math class that you could take if you want.

 

[Footer]

I think if it covered home/personal finances for a semester, and business for a semester it would be much more valuable to everyone. My vote would be the class I proposed as required, and geometry as an elective math class that you could take if you want.

In Illinois you had to take "consumers ed" as a graduation requirement. It taught you how to balance a checkbook, how not to cheat on your taxes, and how to not get screwed by banks when you buy on credit. I tested out of it so I did not have to take it, but it was there.

 

[derekleffew]

I took a similar course, it might have been called "General Business," in eighth or ninth grade (along with Home Ec. and Industrial Arts). Not surprisingly, I didn't get along with the teacher (a football coach; he also taught Typing). He scolded me for using a hand-held calculator, at the time rare, during an exam.

I wouldn't trade my HS years of Honors Geometry or Honors Algebra II & Trig. for anything.

 

[sk8rsdad]

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[zmb]

In Illinois you had to take "consumers ed" as a graduation requirement. It taught you how to balance a checkbook, how not to cheat on your taxes, and how to not get screwed by banks when you buy on credit. I tested out of it so I did not have to take it, but it was there.

Sorta of got that in my 8th grade US History class in 2008, right when the economy took a nosedive. We watched documentaries about how Enron failed, the mortage crisis, and how Wall Street wasn't doing well. Probably more useful than the US history portion, which we cramed in and had our notes for last couple tests of the year.

Strangely enough, this teacher resigned and runs an outdoor education, Christian-based, program for home schooled kids.



My view on the modern education system (as a junior in a high-performing public high school):
We have too many extraneous items in the system that are getting in the way of what is really going to help us in the real world. Things like foreign languages and PE classes. I'm looking at going to school for engineering, undecided which type right now, when will I need three years of Spanish and 1.5 years of PE? The PE is required by the district just to graduate, but the language is for the universites. I am taking University of Washington (UW) Spanish 103 at my school, counts for one high school credit and five college credits and is thankfully enough that I have satisfied the language requirement for the UW's engineering program. And on the PE credits, yes, there is an obesity epidemic in America, but how does taking more gym classes fix that? I would like to have that out of the way for more important classes, but is ~$400 to take an online class were you record you're physical activity. I would consider my self a modernly fit individual but it isn't because of me taking racket sports for 2 semesters and body conditioning for 1 semester. On Footer's consumer ed class that he mentioned, my school offers finance as a third year math class in my school if you really need one more math credit. I am taking AP prep PreCalc right now and while that would be important for an engineering degree, a finance class would certainly be useful.

 

[cpf]

Don't diss PE, I know at least 3 electrical engineers who make (or have made) serious cash installing and maintaining heavy, cumbersome, expensive equipment Obviously that just one case, but I firmly believe physical fitness is up there with home economics and cooking as a skill that will serve you well later in life, even if you don't take them as actual courses.

And yes, studies have shown mandatory physed classes improve life-long fitness. That's enough ranting for me...

 

[chausman]

We have too many extraneous items in the system that are getting in the way of what is really going to help us in the real world. Things like foreign languages and PE classes. I'm looking at going to school for engineering, undecided which type right now, when will I need three years of Spanish and 1.5 years of PE? The PE is required by the district just to graduate, but the language is for the universites. I am taking University of Washington (UW) Spanish 103 at my school, counts for one high school credit and five college credits and is thankfully enough that I have satisfied the language requirement for the UW's engineering program

I agree. I don't see the real advantage to forcing everyone to take two consecutive years of a foreign language just to graduate. I certainly see why school offer those as a class, but my school only offers Spanish, French, and German. None of which are even remotely interesting for me to learn. I don't like my PE class, but I can also see why it is required to graduate.


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[Grog12]

How are you going to know you're putting your business in a sound building without basic geometry?

Also Chaus, you'll regret not taking and really embracing one of those 3 languages. To this day I rue having my girlfriend do all my homework because it "wasn't important" then.

 

[chausman]

Also [-]Chaus[/-]Chase, you'll regret not taking and really embracing one of those 3 languages. To this day I rue having my girlfriend do all my homework because it "wasn't important" then.

I definitely am going to take a foreign language (don't know which) because I need to to graduate, but I don't like that it is required. At least offer something interesting...


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[MarshallPope]

I definitely am going to take a foreign language (don't know which) because I need to to graduate, but I don't like that it is required. At least offer something interesting...


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Would you rather learn something that you may actually be able to use some day, or Zulu or Icelandic that you will learn for nothing?

If nothing else, foreign languages are helpful in extracting more meaning from our English words when we can see their etymology. (I recommend German, by the way. It's a fun language, and English is also a Germanic language)

 

[derekleffew]

...If nothing else, foreign languages are helpful in extracting more meaning from our English words when we can see their etymology. ...

Also, by taking a foreign language, I found I gained a better understanding of English. I had never been taught future perfect tense or past participles until I took Spanish. (Which may be the US's predominant language in a few short years.)