In other words, all kids are being asked to do 25 math problems each night because some of them can't learn the material any other way. But what about my kid, who is ready for that level of mathematics instruction, but who is absolutely incapable of producing the volume expected of her?? What about kids that are ready to discuss literature critically... but don't see the point in ALSO writing a four page essay on the same exact subject (or don't have the ability/time to do so)?
IMO where it also goes wrong is that not all of these concerned parents have kids that are appropriately placed to begin with.
Yes, I agree. Again, I think this goes back to the everyone-should-go-college mentality and the everyone-should-be-able-to-try mentality.
No, everyone should not go to college.
Yes, everyone should be able to try calculus, but only after they've proved they know the prerequisite material with at least a B. How can you do calculus if you still don't really understand the quadratic formula or unit circles? It's one thing to have to look the formula up when you're doing an optimization problem because you forgot where
4ac goes, but it's something else altogether to have no clue about factoring and hence what the quadratic formula is even all about.
Plus, if people can't master calculus at the speed of an AP class, the schools should offer a slower paced course (say, spend a year on differentiation and applications). Educators are the ones who say that we should "give everyone a chance;" therefore,
they have a responsibility to follow through and either fail the kids who can't keep the pace or provide a slower-moving course.
NB, HowlerKarma, what you said mirrors my thinking on why all that homework gets in the way of developing creativity. Too much volume = too much mental clutter = too little time for the imagination.
