(snipped) They already had this in pre-algebra and got As and Bs (can't move to algebra without an A or B in pre-algebra). So how can so many kids fail it?
I'll be the first to say something is wrong in something here. Teaching algebra 1 too young? I don't know. But I do think it needs to be looked at. And I don't think algebra 1 is the only problem. Does the spiraling curriculum makes kids forget as a defense so they don't go crazy seeing the same stuff over and over? I haven't got a clue.
Having taught in post-secondary when this spiraling notion was first implemented widely in primary and secondary (late 90s into early 2000's was the first crop of kids that went all the way through with this spiraling pedagogical strategy), I think that you may well have something there.
I truly believe that operant conditioning now trains students to Recall/Regurgitate/Purge/Rinse/Repeat. This was when students began to be
indignant when anyone expected them to actually, you know... have
retained anything from listed course prerequisites. Because naturally, if I were teaching an Avanced Instrumental Analysis course, I should be willing to remind students of the basics of algebra and chemical equilibrium, right? (Suuuuuuuuure...) How
dare I expect that they remember any of that from Gen Chem or high school...
The larger problem, of course, is that when you spend 40% (not the previous 10%) of your time rehashing material that students (should have) seen previously... you have 30% LESS time to spend actually teaching course content which is new and challenging. Nice.
I loathe this with every fibre of my being. Truly-- and the ONE time that DD attempted the "well, it just isn't very important if I 'retain' the info, since... well, you KNOW that I'll see it again anyway, so why try harder..." I just about became unhinged.
That kind of lazy, apathetic mindset is totally incompatible with true
learning. I think this is the single biggest thing wrong with education now-- and that list isn't a short one, by any means, I'll be the first to admit. But the repetition and "oh, it's okay... you'll have another chance... and another... and another... and another..." attitude is just appalling beyond my ability to express it.
It makes educational attainment
meaningless. Which is awful in and of itself for the impact that it has on an entire society/culture which no longer values excellence or sees it as a culmination rather than an "event", but it also then makes education as a whole stultifying for the few students who will not/cannot operate that way.
:grr:
