Thank you for sharing that with me; I think that's my biggest
   complaint right there: Everybody's different and has different
   needs. Yet, schools teach to a mythological "average student"; a
   creature that does not exist.

   They're trying to improve things. I'm *hope* they're on the
   right track with Common Core... but it's hard not to be really
   skeptical, considering how past experiments in education that
   are hastily implemented turned out.

   My brother was a victim of "New Math" in the late 1960s/early
   1970s. I had to teach him how to do 10% by moving a decimal
   point over when we started a business. Math is full of little
   tricks.

   I believe in teaching things in steps; I learn well with steps
   when something is complicated and having everything spelled out
   helps me with mistakes. I love using Microsoft Excel as my
   calculator for that reason; everything I do is "right there" on
   a big sheet.

   I just think that a lot of people grow up believing they can't
   do math because some teacher somewhere reinforced the notion.
   "Girls are bad at math. Boys are good at math". It's likely I
   thought I was good at math because of that reason. Am I _really_
   good at math?

   Oh well. I can't fix the system. I just wish there was room for
   all kinds in school; a place where people aren't punished for
   taking longer or being faster. They try to slow down the fast
   and speed up the slow.. and neither way is fair. We all have our
   own natural internal pace and I think that should be respected
   at whatever age we are.