Apparently Mr. Tabor is an expert on all subjects, mathematics learning as well.

Perhaps he should disagree with Dr. Thornburg or Dr. Schank on The Pulse where their original articles reside.

I look forward to his proof that algebra is connected to GDP.

Thanks for the kind words – I’m pleased that you’ve recognized all that I have to offer. I lament that it came so late in the education debate, but I’ll let bygones be bygones. Let’s move forward.

When I made my comment, I meant that I’d cull some of the better relevant bits so we could see the arguments on both sides. I didn’t suggest that I’d write them myself.

Swing-and-a-miss, Gary.

1. “Connections with work” is not the only way to make grab students — presenting a piece as an exploratory puzzle rather than some raw procedure can work just as well. Many attempts at incorporation of real-life context are very forced, and frustrate more than interest the students who have to deal with a “word problem”.

2. Some topics are scaffolds. Today in my class we are throwing around wads of paper and timing them, then using parametric equations with the quadratic formula to work out their velocity. While this is a “real-life” use of the quadratic formula, it can’t really be taught simultaneously — the lesson is simply using what was already learned. It’s like the Karate Kid not understanding wax-on, wax-off; eventually there *is* a payoff, and it can’t always be rushed in.