if instead, you split them up according to relative intelligence, subject mastery, and willingness to achieve then you have done a better job AND it doesn't cost any extra money.
If that were done I'd be happier. Sadly, I've actually taught in public high schools in the U.S., and what you proposed was anathema. Instead, "all children are college-bound" and "no child left behind" as driving slogans meant that it was considered both appropriate and highly-desireable to intentionally put students who got As in the prerequisites in the same class with students who never took the prerequisites and who failed everything else. Depressingly, that was actual policy, not a caricature of it.
The word "tracking" was treated as being similar to the word "eugenics" -- it wasn't mentioned in polite company, much less advocated.
Well, your experience supersedes mine. I can only speak to my specific knowledge. In my area public schools still have "peak" classes in elementary, and pre-AP, AP, and IB classes in secondary.
Hopefully more have gone back to that. My teaching experience ended in 2001 (the year an admin asked me "what gives you the impression you're here to teach these kids anything?" and, coincidentially, the same year I had finally saved enough for grad school), so it might be out of date by now. I hope it is.
Hopefully more have gone back to that. My teaching experience ended in 2001 (the year an admin asked me "what gives you the impression you're here to teach these kids anything?" and, coincidentially, the same year I had finally saved enough for grad school), so it might be out of date by now. I hope it is.
How are you able to comment on NCLB if your teaching experience ended in 2001?
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How are you able to comment on NCLB if your teaching experience ended in 2001?
The writing was on the wall long before the bill was passed. Virginia had had its own version in place for some time.
How are you able to comment on NCLB if your teaching experience ended in 2001?
No one who isn't actively teaching can read newspapers or watch television?
Should I assume that because you don't live in Boise, ID, you can't have an opinion about gay marriage in Idaho?
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How are you able to comment on NCLB if your teaching experience ended in 2001?No one who isn't actively teaching can read newspapers or watch television?
Should I assume that because you don't live in Boise, ID, you can't have an opinion about gay marriage in Idaho?
Not if you preface your statement with "I have taught in high schools and..." It gives the impression that your statement is directly linked to experience.
FWIW, I think Kirth's answer to my question was completely reasonable. It was only a year later, though under a different administration.
Kirth, where did you teach HS, when, and for how long?
Kirth, where did you teach HS, when, and for how long?
Virginia, 1995-2001 (inclusive).
Ahh. Problem solved.
I wouldn't count virginia as indicative of curricula in other states. There are almost always 2 tiers of classes minimum in WI schools.
Ah, OK. I'd been told that a lot of the Northern states had a more sane system. And also paid their teachers a living wage (I started at $19K a year as a full-time employee; adjust for inflation and it's still an embarrassingly small amount).
But, having had too much of the winters in upstate NY, I just had to move south...
Ahh. Problem solved.
I wouldn't count virginia as indicative of curricula in other states. There are almost always 2 tiers of classes minimum in WI schools.
Interesting data point on that. Percentage of adults (at least 25 y/o) who have a 4 year degree; VA is ranked 7th in the US at 32.7% while WI is ranked 35th at 24.1%
Percentage of adults (at least 25 y/o) who have a 4 year degree; VA is ranked 7th in the US at 32.7% while WI is ranked 35th at 24.1%
Interesting. I wonder how much the people in Northern VA (DC suburbs) skew the stats? (Also, and related, how many of the degree-holders are from other states.)
Percentage of adults (at least 25 y/o) who have a 4 year degree; VA is ranked 7th in the US at 32.7% while WI is ranked 35th at 24.1%Interesting. I wonder how much the people in Northern VA (DC suburbs) skew the stats? (Also, and related, how many of the degree-holders are from other states.)
DC proper dominated the list at 47% The next closest state was MA at 37%
Edit: statemaster.com
Edit edit: one must always remember to close their tags.
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DC skews the stats tremendously.
Albermarle County (where UVa is located) has 52.2% of adults with a 4 year degree.
Arlington County has 72.1%; Fairfax has 58.2%; both are DC suburbs.
At the other extreme, Russell County has 9.7%, Lee County has 12.1%, and Buchanan has 7.6%.
Something else to remember is that very few people living in the DC area went to high school in the DC area. Arlington County gained more than 8% population in the past four years. Those aren't the product of Arlington County high schools.
Ah, OK. I'd been told that a lot of the Northern states had a more sane system. And also paid their teachers a living wage (I started at $19K a year as a full-time employee; adjust for inflation and it's still an embarrassingly small amount).
But, having had too much of the winters in upstate NY, I just had to move south...
That's definitely changing with Walker in power and the passing of Act 10; it's becoming harder and harder to fund public schools at ALL and the easiest place to cut, as with all public and private endeavors, seems to be labor costs.
Back to the topic at hand though, in my high school, the only high school about which I can make relatively intelligent comments, for most of the basic subjects (English, Math, Science) there were at least two tiers for each grade level. English 10 and Advanced English 10, Biology and Accelerated Biology, Physics and Math Physics. I don't specifically recall that there was for Social Studies/History, but there were always also electives.
There were also remedial classes like Chemistry in the Community, which lower than Chemistry, which was lower than Math Chemistry, which was lower than AP Chemistry.
Beyond that, which was normal curricula, there was also SWS-School Within a School, which was basically special help for lower income or educationally or socially challenged (dislexia, autism) or returning students after a lapse of enrollment/truancy. SWS was definitely not normal for the district, we were the only school in the district that had SWS or any special education resources so everyone was bused there.
That said we were also the poorest in the district.
School sucks.
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I hate math more so than Joss Whedon, Alton Brown and Mark Zuckerberg combined.
Wait, wait, wait...you hate Alton Brown as well? What sort of a monster are you? (Hating Zuckerberg is totally normal.)
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I hate math more so than Joss Whedon, Alton Brown and Mark Zuckerberg combined.Wait, wait, wait...you hate Alton Brown as well? What sort of a monster are you? (Hating Zuckerberg is totally normal.)
Alton Brown is a terrible person. By that, I mean I become mildly annoyed when his telepresence graces my eyeballs.
Went shopping this evening. Stopped by the dessert aisle to discover a huge 50% MORE!!!! sign on the 6 pack of pudding. I looked closer to discover that that the sign on the package proudly proclaimed that it held 50% more than the competition's pudding 4 pack.
More proof that the numbers will say anything if you torture them enough.
Alton Brown is a terrible person. By that, I mean I become mildly annoyed when his telepresence graces my eyeballs.I hate math more so than Joss Whedon, Alton Brown and Mark Zuckerberg combined.Wait, wait, wait...you hate Alton Brown as well? What sort of a monster are you? (Hating Zuckerberg is totally normal.)
Let's not fight, brothers. Let us instead pool our hate together into a powerful beam we can use to destroy math, Whedon, Brown and Zuckerberg all at once.
Went shopping this evening. Stopped by the dessert aisle to discover a huge 50% MORE!!!! sign on the 6 pack of pudding. I looked closer to discover that that the sign on the package proudly proclaimed that it held 50% more than the competition's pudding 4 pack.
More proof that the numbers will say anything if you torture them enough.
Well, at least it's honest advertising.
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Let's not fight, brothers. Let us instead pool our hate together into a powerful beam we can use to destroy math, Whedon, Brown and Zuckerberg all at once.Alton Brown is a terrible person. By that, I mean I become mildly annoyed when his telepresence graces my eyeballs.I hate math more so than Joss Whedon, Alton Brown and Mark Zuckerberg combined.Wait, wait, wait...you hate Alton Brown as well? What sort of a monster are you? (Hating Zuckerberg is totally normal.)
Agreed. We must create a weapon that will eliminate all memory and artifacts of their existence as well. Basically, we must destroy the earth and escape via shuttle pod and then lobotomize each other with ice picks. The sad soul who goes last will have to slit his wrists because no one will remain cogent enough to lobotomize him. Then the others can drink his blood and eat his flesh until we die of CO2 poisoning or thirst. Eventually even the shuttle will become entangled in the gravity of a star and the orbit will decay causing the fiery destruction of the last piece if humanity.
And finally, the treachery of that scurrilous Alton Brown will be forever erased from time!
*slow clap*
I liked the "Twice the caffeine" slogan on Jolt cola...
Let's not fight, brothers. Let us instead pool our hate together into a powerful beam we can use to destroy math, Whedon, Brown and Zuckerberg all at once.Alton Brown is a terrible person. By that, I mean I become mildly annoyed when his telepresence graces my eyeballs.I hate math more so than Joss Whedon, Alton Brown and Mark Zuckerberg combined.Wait, wait, wait...you hate Alton Brown as well? What sort of a monster are you? (Hating Zuckerberg is totally normal.)Agreed. We must create a weapon that will eliminate all memory and artifacts of their existence as well. Basically, we must destroy the earth and escape via shuttle pod and then lobotomize each other with ice picks. The sad soul who goes last will have to slit his wrists because no one will remain cogent enough to lobotomize him. Then the others can drink his blood and eat his flesh until we die of CO2 poisoning or thirst. Eventually even the shuttle will become entangled in the gravity of a star and the orbit will decay causing the fiery destruction of the last piece if humanity.
And finally, the treachery of that scurrilous Alton Brown will be forever erased from time!
BEAUTIFUL....
read article and first few posts then skipped to end. That said, I also find using numbers for variables when trying to solve or analyze something makes things a little more intuitive for me. Making the leap to just using variables and proving a therem, or general formula is much more difficult (for me).
Anyone who wants a fun math problem for dnd to solve: Korgan the cleric has the ability to reroll 1's when he heals your broken self. If he takes average on a d8, what would it be? What would the general formula look like? I had to use series to figure it out.
read article and first few posts then skipped to end. That said, I also find using numbers for variables when trying to solve or analyze something makes things a little more intuitive for me. Making the leap to just using variables and proving a therem, or general formula is much more difficult (for me).
Anyone who wants a fun math problem for dnd to solve: Korgan the cleric has the ability to reroll 1's when he heals your broken self. If he takes average on a d8, what would it be? What would the general formula look like? I had to use series to figure it out.
I'll spoiler the simple answer, though I had to make an assumption about what you meant by "rerolling 1's". (If he rolls a 1 a second time does he reroll again?)
In short, if he always rerolls 1's, then you just drop 1 as a possible result and the average is (2+3+4+5+6+7+8)/7 = 5.0.
If he gets to reroll a 1 once, then you get into a far more complex situation where the easiest solution is to use weighted averages: Instead of (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)/8, you distribute the probability to each outcome:
(1/8)1 + (1/8)2 + (1/8)3 + (1/8)4 + (1/8)5 + (1/8)6 + (1/8)7 + (1/8)8
Then since you're rerolling the 1, you split that up (which you'll see is just the average die roll):
(1/8)[(1/8)1 + (1/8)2 + (1/8)3 + (1/8)4 + (1/8)5 + (1/8)6 + (1/8)7 + (1/8)8] = (1/8)(4.5)
So in general, a single reroll just means replace the rerollable value with the average value.
Glomming it all back together gets me (4.5 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8)/8 = 4.9375.
Does that make sense? Since it's slightly more than the original average, but slightly less than the "infinite reroll" route, it's right where it belongs, so it's at least a reasonable answer.
You'all make me smile. I think i mucked up my reasoning by learning so much. I get the same answer, 5. I did the reasoning more formally and came up with the formula: d*(d+1)/[2*(d-1)] - 1/(d-1). I used mostly numeric reasoning before going to just variable reasoning. Since theJeff got the answer, it'd be cool if you posted a problem. I completely missed the intuitive dropping the 1 in the problem.
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if instead, you split them up according to relative intelligence, subject mastery, and willingness to achieve then you have done a better job AND it doesn't cost any extra money.If that were done I'd be happier. Sadly, I've actually taught in public high schools in the U.S., and what you proposed was anathema. Instead, "all children are college-bound" and "no child left behind" as driving slogans meant that it was considered both appropriate and highly-desireable to intentionally put students who got As in the prerequisites in the same class with students who never took the prerequisites and who failed everything else. Depressingly, that was actual policy, not a caricature of it.
The word "tracking" was treated as being similar to the word "eugenics" -- it wasn't mentioned in polite company, much less advocated.
In my corner of the world the norm is to separate children according to their capabilities in math starting from 7th grade. The specific school I was studying in was an "experimental" school, meaning they tried all sorts of different things to see how they worked. The upsetting part about it was that this was the only school in the area, meaning we were prisoners of sometimes exceedingly stupid ideas.
For me, that idea was the one you described - the class you studied math with was the same as your regular, arbitrarily formed class with students of every level of mathematical prowess. To make things worse, my specific class was not entirely arbitrary - they lumped together 10 of the best students in math from my age group (self included) with about 12 average kids and 13 of the worst.
It was so ugly, I eventually went to a boarding school, and this was a large part of the reason. The teacher could never find the right pace to teach. Inevitably in each class the good students were bored because they figured out the material three months ago (seriously, actual literal three months ahead of the class), the bad students never even tried to listen, and the average students were sandwiched between two dozen frustrated kids. Not pretty.
For math they split us up (and sent us to different teachers) around the 4th grade. (~ 9 years old)
As to punching logs into the calculator, that was the first time I understood what they were because it was tied to something real.
OH! so an acid with inverse log concentration of this burns that much, of , and if the numbers that lo.. OW OW OW OW
Seshomaru sizes up a group of goblins. There are 6 of them and they each have 6 hit points. If his fireball deals 1d6 and he decides to roll individually for each goblin (much to the shagrin of the table), what is the chance that he brings at least 1 to 0 or less hitpoints?
Easier with numbers, but if you want to formula it for n, that'd be cool.
Man, I didn't know that question would be so computationally long. If there is an intuitive answer I missed it again.
x= 1/6, y = 5/6 ,%b = (6 choose b)
%1*x*y^5+%2*x^2*y^4+%3*x^3*y^3+%4*x^4*y^2+%5*x^5*y+%6*x^6
it's really the chance of success (x)times the possiblility of failure (y) times the number of possible ways it could happen, added up. A general formula would be pretty ugly i think.
Seshomaru sizes up a group of goblins. There are 6 of them and they each have 6 hit points. If his fireball deals 1d6 and he decides to roll individually for each goblin (much to the shagrin of the table), what is the chance that he brings at least 1 to 0 or less hitpoints?
Easier with numbers, but if you want to formula it for n, that'd be cool.
Easier way of doing it
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read article and first few posts then skipped to end. That said, I also find using numbers for variables when trying to solve or analyze something makes things a little more intuitive for me. Making the leap to just using variables and proving a therem, or general formula is much more difficult (for me).
Anyone who wants a fun math problem for dnd to solve: Korgan the cleric has the ability to reroll 1's when he heals your broken self. If he takes average on a d8, what would it be? What would the general formula look like? I had to use series to figure it out.
How would that be different than a d7+1? You're rolling from 2-8, right? Doesn't matter how many times you roll the physical die to get there.
Average is 5.
2d4...