Are Minority Kids Really This Stupid?

Tags

education, minority kids, race

From USAToday:

If all of Detroit’s fourth-graders took the well-respected National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests, just 120 African-American fourth-graders across the entire city, by researchers’ estimates, would score “proficient” or above in math.

“This is not a misprint,” the authors warn.

 

Other results:

• In Atlanta, just 60 Hispanic fourth-graders and 40 Hispanic eighth-graders would score proficient or above in reading.
• In Cleveland, only about 30 Hispanic eighth-graders and 80 African-American eighth-graders would be considered proficient in math.
• In Baltimore, an estimated 60 Hispanic fourth-grade students would score proficient in reading.

The figures are estimates based on the demographic data, not actual determinations of individual student scores.

“The problem is stark and very disconcerting,” said Ulrich Boser, a CAP senior fellow and lead author of the report.

If this is correct, and I have no way of knowing whether or not it is, we are far worse off than I thought.

There was no mention of white kid’s performance on these tests.

The evolution of teaching math: 1950’s to today

Tags

education, Humor, political correctness

I got this by email from friend G.H.:

The evolution in teaching math since the  1950s:

Teaching Math In 1950
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. Whatis his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong  answers.)

Teaching Math In 2005
Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas
se puede comprar?

Illiteracy at Prescott High School

Tags

education, government school, illiteracy, prescott

The 2007 post that was here had a photo of the Prescott High School marquee after a prankster put a message there full of misspellings and improper usage. I got a request from the Prescott Unified School district to take the post down on 9/1/2015 because that post was showing up first in some search engines when one searched on PHS. I do think the prank was humorous, but I agree with PUSD that it is inappropriate for a prank to appear first in search results.

For real info on PHS, here are two official links for you to follow:
Prescott High School
Prescott Unified School District.

To those who linked here, I’m happy you liked the photo and text.