Wendy31
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2005
Because otherwise you can't dial a phone number or enter a pin number or do even the most basic math?
Why did 9 people say no? Seriously, why? Using "they don't know it's a trick question" isn't an excuse.
9 people said no because they don't know or remember what Arabic numerals are.
I don't think anyone would say, "No, kids should not learn the numerals 0-9."
However, due to some people NOT knowing or remembering what Arabic numerals are & thinking Arabic is a foreign language, they say, "No, kids should not have to learn Arabic numerals as part of an American math curriculum."
They would also say that kids should not have to learn any kind of foreign language in conjunction w/ their American math curriculum.
And that's not to say kids shouldn't be exposed to foreign languages & different cultures. I remember, at different times throughout both my education & my kids' education, learning different foreign language words & learning about world cultures in classes other than the specific foreign language classes. Education really should be interdisciplinary. But you don't always remember those little bits & pieces of information you pick up along the way - like the fact that 0-9 are Arabic numerals.