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What About Calculus?

11 February 2009 8 Comments

One of the comments in response to Unschoolers and Wife Swap asked about not teaching calculus when a child’s not interested. Here is her question.

Rachel said:

I was confused when they asked about teaching calculus, etc and she said that her son doesn’t need calculus because he’s not interested?

So if he’s not interesting in spelling, reading, or potty training does that mean a child doesn’t need it?

I’m not trying to be rude.

What if he wanted to be a doctor? His chances are pretty much shot, you know?

I’m just curious! THANKS!

Tom had a great answer:

In answer to Rachel’s question about calculus…

I did not have any calculus in high school. In fact I didn’t have trigonometry either and I still went to college and became an engineer. Many of the students in my trig. and calculus classes had taken these in high school but still had to take it in college because it is not the same for anyone who is studying the sciences. I was not home schooled and did not have the opportunity to take calculus in high school even if I wanted to and it did not stop me from doing what I wanted.

-Tom

Thanks Tom! It’s good to have a living, breathing example of how this plays out in real life.

When people need to learn something, they will.

The role of a homeschooling parent isn’t to teach kids everything. The role of a homeschooling parent is to teach kids to identify how to get what they want, and give them the understanding of how to take care of their own educational needs.

In most cases that simply means being a good role model, providing a healthy family, then getting out of their way and enjoying the ride with them.

8 Comments »

Yoshi said:

Calculus was not offered at my high school either

# 11 February 2009 at 1:23 pm

Tana said:

Hear, hear! I didn’t take any language in HS. They only offered Spanish, and I couldn’t stand the instructor. I actually took class for one week and convinced my mom to let me drop it (parental permission required at my school).

In college, I took German and loved it. In fact, I minored in it. I had been told to take a language in HS because in college it was so much faster thus HS was easier. I think I would have been bored out of my mind in HS as I couldn’t imagine them going slower than they went in college.

Oh, and I also didn’t take Calculus in HS but took it in college and had the 2nd highest grade in my class. Just saying…

Tana’s last blog post: Sneak Preview

# 11 February 2009 at 1:24 pm

Valerie said:

Can’t be a dr.? Sez who?

I’d have to ask my veterinarian daughter if she had to take calculus in college — I can’t remember. I remember her talking about chemistry and physics, but I can’t remember anything about calculus.

I do know that in her teen years she made it up to calculus without any help from me other than buying math books (Saxon texts, fwiw), but the kids got their diplomas just as she started the calculus text. Even if she worked in the book after ‘graduating,’ no calculus credit was included on her transcript. After receiving the secondary level diploma she went on to volunteer at a veterinary clinic, and then went on to college. She now spends her days doctoring.

As for kids not being interested in, “spelling, reading, or potty training,” I found it useful to explain the benefits of learning each of the actions, and just to have the behaviors as part of everyday life.

# 11 February 2009 at 1:36 pm

Anne said:

I did take calculus in high school and almost failed. My second year of college I decided I really missed math and took it again and aced it. In high school I hadn’t realized that I was smart and had the ability to do such complex work. I also had very little interest in math. Once I got to college and learned a little about myself 2 things happened. 1) I discovered the I liked math, and therefore enjoyed the time I spent studying it, and 2) when I enjoy a subject, I learn it quite easily. I think this is how we all work. I just hope I can do a reasonable job of leading my kids to a path of similar self-discovery!

# 11 February 2009 at 2:11 pm

Idaho Dad said:

I took Algebra in high school, and did miserably with it, barely scratching out a C. My senior year of high school I took no math at all because I was so bad at it. My first year of college, thinking I wanted to be an engineer, I took Calculus. Lo and behold, I discovered that with the right teacher I could excel in math. I finished that course with an A+ and a new appreciation for what I am capable of.

So, basically, high school means nothing.

# 11 February 2009 at 2:30 pm

Summer said:

Another person who didn’t take calculus in high school. I think it was offered one year, but a small school just didn’t have enough students interested to devote an entire class period to it. And yet, I know of at least 3 doctors from my graduating class. Heh.

And frankly, I fail to see how Calculus compares to spelling or potty training? I mean I need to use the bathroom often, and spell words in order to read them. I don’t generally use Calculus on a daily (or even weekly) basis.

# 11 February 2009 at 4:25 pm

Jill Lee said:

In becoming doctor, maybe, because that’s procedure (much like going to high school). But why would one need Calculus in actually being a doctor?

Jill Lee’s last blog post: Unschooling family on Wife Swap

# 11 February 2009 at 5:44 pm

Crimson Wife said:

Calculus is part of the pre-med requirements because it’s a prerequisite for college-level physics. I’m not 100% sure why physics is needed by a doctor beyond it being tested on the MCAT. A biomedical engineer I can see needing to know physics, but a regular old physician? You got me.

Some universities such as Tufts, BU, and Northwestern have 6 year combined B.S/M.D. programs. If a student was interested in them, he/she would probably need to complete a distance learning or community college Calculus class during high school. But just a regular old pre-med student would be fine taking calculus at college.

Crimson Wife’s last blog post: Introducing Miss Scarlet, Rusty, and Princess Persimmon

# 26 February 2009 at 5:37 pm