According to the latest Gallup Poll of 2000 adults, ages 18 and older, "Americans grade math as the most valuable school subject." (http://www.gallup.com/poll/164249/americans-grade-math-valuable-school-subject.aspx). Math beat English/Literature/Reading easily, with 34% voting for math and 21% voting for English.
I predict that common core supporters will use these results as evidence that tough math standards are a good idea.
The Gallup Poll did indeed say that math was considered the most valuable school subject. But Gallup did not ask what level of math.
Those who had a high school education or less were the most enthusiastic about math (43% voted for math, compared to 19% of those with post-graduate college.). This suggests that people find basic math valuable. I doubt that many people were thinking about calculus or even algebra when they voted for math. I suspect that they were thinking about addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, and percentages.
I predict that common core supporters will use these results as evidence that tough math standards are a good idea.
The Gallup Poll did indeed say that math was considered the most valuable school subject. But Gallup did not ask what level of math.
Those who had a high school education or less were the most enthusiastic about math (43% voted for math, compared to 19% of those with post-graduate college.). This suggests that people find basic math valuable. I doubt that many people were thinking about calculus or even algebra when they voted for math. I suspect that they were thinking about addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, and percentages.
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