The Ontario government is playing with the idea of eliminating Calculus from the high school curriculum due to declining enrollment. They would then add in some more algebra, geometry and trigonometry.What morons.
The idea is that they'll just pass the burden on to the eggheads in Colleges and Universities. Kids are happy, faculty is pissed. I mean, I remember back in highschool, Calculus was the KILLER. The people in your class were your fellow soldiers. You were in it together, and it quickly became a badge of honour to walk around the school with a textbook that said "Calculus" on it. My parents couldn't help me, most of my friends couldn't either.
I sucked at it then, and I still suck at it. With that being said, there is no doubt in my mind the necessity and importance of the calculus. It really changes the way you look at the world and of mathematics. As I've seen in some of my teaching duties, some students are woefully unprepared for college/university level science, and most of it stems from their lack of training in math. This is not their fault, but rather the system. Awful or over worked teachers, and a dumbing down of the high school curriculum. Even if the kids are just exposed to it a bit, it will help them down the road.
With all that learnin of calculus going on, check out an application here at Britney Spears Guide to Semiconductor Physics (created by some well meaning, albeit creepy person). It's a good thing the physics is legit in it. (yes, I know there's no real calculus in that picture).
1 comment:
Roy, as it stands now, Calculus is not a required course in high school. It is an option for those that want to take it for preparation for higher maths/sciences. By eliminating it in highschool, it is no longer an option for those kids, and may put at end to some other kids exposure to it.
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