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Children and basic math | Federal Way letters, June 9
My 10th-grade son sits in his room frustrated by the math homework he is required to complete for the next day.
I look at the work in front of me and I scratch my head. I ask myself, why is he having to do this math that not even I understand? This is not the basic math that we need them to know, unless they choose to be an engineer, bio-chemist or even a math teacher.
What happened to learning the basics that are important and that they need to know? Addition, multiplication, subtraction, division and, yes, percentages too. These are all the important ones that they need to know unless they are going into a specific field that requires them to know this algebra stuff. It's hard!
It is so frustrating as a parent who has a son or daughter who may struggle with the workload that they have anyhow, which is much more than we had when we graduated in 1983. This match is complicated, and truly hard to understand. Now, I know that not everyone struggles with these math problems, but why is there so much pressure about this algebra? I mean there are four lines of numbers that they need to figure out for one problem. And I again ask: Why?
Let us make sure they leave school knowing how to add, subtract and multiply — and yes, division and percentages are important. They need these things and these are the basic things, so why the pressure and yes, WASL too. Let's get back to the basics and make sure our children learn what they need to know and not stuff that is frustrating and hard for them when I don't see that they need this unless their future and or career is headed for that needed math.
Are there any other parents out there that believe the same way I do? I could go on and on about the basic needs our children need to know and what is actually being expected of them. What happened to needing the basics?
Allison Vossler, Federal Way