Maths

[longlongwaytogo]

ABOUT 250,000 kids turn 12 each year. Offer them $100 if they know their multiplication tables perfectly in February, another $60 for a repeat in June, another $40 in November. Success rate: 90 per cent (est) Cost: $45 million. One big problem solved.

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ARGH. Yeah, because times tables is the only thing kids need to know!

Claire Smith (Letters, May

Comments

[emstapole]

I'm sorry, I went to SRE but my parents had a discussion about it before and after with me. And if it doesn't work, then why are you pissed off!

[moar_caffeine]

Now, I pretty much fit the definition of a spendthrift liberal to a tee (especially for an American), but might I ask how we intend to pay for this little "Money for Multiplication" program? $40 million isn't exactly cheap. And if that's what we play to pay kids to learn elementary math, what do you suggest we pay older adolescents to learn Algebra? What about Trig? Stats? Calculus?

Also, I think bribing children with money for academic achievement is ethically dubious at best, particularly if it's little more than rote memorization.

That suggestion really made me twitchy-eyed.

[longlongwaytogo]

Also, times tables is the ONLY thing that primary school age kids need to know about maths?