Re: depth and breadth

nate (schmolze who-is-at students.wisc.edu)
Tue, 18 May 1999 06:20:49 -0500

Ken,

Calculus courses is one of those if you have not had you are not considered
for the life stage of higher education. Calculus in highschool or college
as well as other subjects while maybe not having personal relevance are
tools to track students in and out of college. Students not having
calculus or other so called advanced math has been an area of concern for
many poor and minority parents not because of its use value but its
exchange value.

I was recently talking to a student who was from the so called upper class
and wanted to take a basic math course and she was not permitted to because
such courses were designed for those "others" not destined for higher
education. So, while we can question the emphasis on calculus we must do
so in a way that does not ignore its exchange value in higher education.
My advisor was recently talking to a graduating high school senior who
could not get a recomendation for college because she did not have the
right math classes even though the advisors in the highschool consistantly
counseled her to take the more basic math classes. The pressure in my
district is coming from minority groups who see their children continually
tracked to certain math courses over others which affects their children's
ability to enter higher education.

Nate
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Goodman <kgoodman who-is-at u.arizona.edu>
To: <xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 1999 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: depth and breadth

> Will all those out there who have become reasonably successful without
> having had a calculus course raise their hands. And then will some one
> suggest why there is pressure on American high schools to require
> calculus courses of high school students?
> Ken Goodman
> --
> Kenneth S. Goodman, Professor, Language, Reading & Culture
> 504 College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
> fax 520 7456895 phone 520 6217868
>
> These are mean times- and in the mean time
> We need to Learn to Live Under Water
>