our children's education

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>I used to be a music education major at XU, and you have to learn all of
the regular basic curricula, etc.  I was NOT thrilled.  Everything is
degenerating to this "cooperative learning" junk, where instead of the
teacher actually *teaching* the basics of math, etc., the kids get an
assignment, then (in theory) are supposed to work together to figure it
out.  In reality, it is usually one or two kids in the group who actually
know how to do it and the other kids just sit back and let them take over.
Or, none of them knows what's going on, so they do it incorrectly, but the
teacher does not tell them they've done it wrong!!!  Telling a child the
answer is "wrong" is harmful to their well-being, they say.  Instead, they
should be told that their way is "fine", but an easier way is this...
Their answer is "fine", but when you do it *this* way, the answer is
this...

ME: DISCLAIMER:  These are just the facts - - don't be offended..
I disagree with you on your point about cooperative learning.    The purpose 
of Cooperative learning is to help kids think critically.  Math isn't just 
about solving problems rotely.  Math is about the problem solving process. 
  Teachers want to focus on the fact that there is more than one way to 
solve a problem.  Teachers are using manipulatives more than ever now 
because they are a helpful tool to help kids understand the concept - - not 
just how to get the answer.    Teachers want kids to understand that wrong 
answers are a natural part of life - -it's how you handle those wrong 
answers that count.  Kids have anxiety attacks on tests because they're 
afraid they're going to be wrong.  This is not a healthy way to think about 
school and learning.   When I was in elementary school, I learned the 
multiplication tables simply by memorizing them.  I didn't have a clue as to 
what I was really doing until much later.  This had a negative effect on the 
rest of my education for a long time.  Had my teachers taken the time show 
us visually using manipulatives, I may have done better.

.>the guys who put a man on the moon learned math and
science the "good old-fashioned way".  The people responsible for most any
modern advance we take for granted learned the "good old-fashioned way".
Children in other countries who are slaughtering our kids in academic
scores do so because they are learning the "good old-fashioned" way.

ME:Learning by rote memorization is the "old fashioned way", not cooperative 
learning.  The "old fashioned way" was not working.
Hope I didn't offend -  I am a senior in college, soon to be teacher and 
social worker.
Anne Hale