William Atkins
Sunday, 09 November 2008 21:17
Science -
Biology
Page 3 of 4
“Their doing so is vital to the future of the USA economy as elegantly documented in Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century.”
The report
“Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (pdf file 6.39 MB) ... outlines numerous steps the USA should take to ensure we have the well-educated labor force needed to fill the STEM jobs of the future.”
“To reduce loss of mathematical talent, especially of profoundly gifted students who have a high potential to make major contributions to society, the USA urgently needs to improve how it identifies and nurtures children of both genders with aptitude for mathematics.”
Within their paper, the University of Wisconsin (Madison) researchers list their suggestions/proposals for securing the mathematical future of the United States (
underlines have been added for emphasis):
“1. First and foremost, the myth that females cannot excel in mathematics must be put to rest.
Teachers, guidance counselors, parents, principals, university presidents, the lay public, and, most importantly, girls themselves need to be informed about the fact that females can excel in mathematics, even at the very highest level. When people believe they cannot do something, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. To quote Henry Ford, ‘If you think you can or can’t, you are right.’”
“2. We need to improve greatly the lay public’s perception of mathematicians via the news media, movies, and TV shows such as Numb3rs so preteens and teenagers of both genders will feel it is socially acceptable to study and to enjoy doing mathematics.
To quote the science fiction writer Jack Vance, “That which is never attempted, never transpires.” Girls, especially, must be made aware that mathematicians do important, interesting work, and most of them are not nerds. Mathematics Olympians in the other top-ranked IMO countries are highly honored and similarly praised as sports Olympians. The same should be true in the USA.”
“3. Mathematics courses should be taught starting in sixth or seventh grade at the latest by mathematics-certified teachers who majored in the field.
Foreign languages, music, art, machine shop, cooking, and physical education are usually taught by specialists in middle school. Why not mathematics and science as well?”
Page four states the final two recommentations.
