As a high school student who just graduated near the top of their class, I can confirm this. Math is no longer about reasoning and critical thinking; it's about memorizing algorithms.
"Here are the problems which will be on the test, just with different numbers. Memorize algorithmically how to solve each one."
Students are given lists of formulas without an intuitive explanation for WHY they work. Naturally, the kids at the top of their class are best at "going through the system" and memorizing everything their teachers tell them. In reality, they're clueless without the system telling them precisely what they need to know.
I find these kids completely intolerable. They can't think for themselves and believe all the leftist garbage their history/english teachers tell them.
algorithmic knowledge is becoming less and less important as computers take over in that area.
The one thing humans have which computers don't is the ability to creatively and intuitively think and CREATE solutions. You can't write a program using brute memorization.
Learning algorithms is only useful nowadays as an example for how other algorithms and solutions can be created. Who needs to memorize the quadratic formula if you can just look it up online in 5 seconds? The only reason learning the quadratic formula could be useful is if you learn the intuition behind it and use that intuition to create your own algorithms and formulas.
Our education system isn't moving toward this direction. It's moving in the complete opposite direction.
As a high school student who just graduated near the top of their class, I can confirm this. Math is no longer about reasoning and critical thinking; it's about memorizing algorithms.
"Here are the problems which will be on the test, just with different numbers. Memorize algorithmically how to solve each one."
Students are given lists of formulas without an intuitive explanation for WHY they work. Naturally, the kids at the top of their class are best at "going through the system" and memorizing everything their teachers tell them. In reality, they're clueless without the system telling them precisely what they need to know.
I find these kids completely intolerable. They can't think for themselves and believe all the leftist garbage their history/english teachers tell them.
algorithmic knowledge is becoming less and less important as computers take over in that area.
The one thing humans have which computers don't is the ability to creatively and intuitively think and CREATE solutions. You can't write a program using brute memorization.
Learning algorithms is only useful nowadays as an example for how other algorithms and solutions can be created. Who needs to memorize the quadratic formula if you can just look it up online in 5 seconds? The only reason learning the quadratic formula could be useful is if you learn the intuition behind it and use that intuition to create your own algorithms and formulas.
Our education system isn't moving toward this direction. It's moving in the complete opposite direction.