More on Algebra

In this post, I suggested that there might be a good argument for not requiring algebra for high school graduation. Mahablog has proven me right.

She and some of her commenters talk about their experiences as people who just can't do math. Whether that's a full-fledged learning disability, or simply a matter of bad instruction at some level, it's clear (and I've always known) that there are people like that, many of whom are highly successful at all levels of all sorts of jobs. I would be the last person to argue that algebra is the one true dividing line between intelligent people and the lowly masses. Surely, there are people who are better off getting a high school degree without algebra than not getting one at all.

Which, of course, raises the whole question of our "one size fits most" educational system. There is nothing -- nothing -- in any high school course or curriculum that I can point to and say "That particular thing is indispensible." Any single thing could reasonably be left out, and the student could have a sound education, the basis for outstanding success in their chosen field. But, once we start leaving out, where do we stop? There have to be some requirements.

I certainly don't propose to answer this question. Ideally, everyone would be internally motivated at all levels of learning, and they would learn what they wanted when they wanted or needed it, and no one would have to impose any requirements at all. Here in the real world, it doesn't work that way. We need to decide what we are going to require, and hopefully we will be able to articulate the reasons for that requirement.

I also agree that whatever we require, we have an obligation to teach it well, and that there are an awful lot of bad math teachers out there. Unfortunately, there are an awful lot of bad teachers of all subjects. Could a great teacher (not naming any names, but you are welcome to speculate on who I have in mind) have helped Maha and turned her into a brilliant mathematician, or even just into someone who can do percents? I don't know.

Maha suggests that Richard Cohen has his tongue in his cheek when he wrote the original article. If that's the case, I apologize for misconstruing him. In my defense, I'll say that it's a long way from "Perhaps some people can get by without algebra" to "You'll never need algebra."

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