as

- Math . Education

PAGE 12, THE TOWNSMAN, Thursday, July 7, 1977

ONE “R” IS IMPROVING oe
_ New math creating genius —

OTTAWA’ (CP) — The

“jnathematical skills of the.
_ average high-school student

are..equal or superior to
those of his counterparts in
the mid-’50s or ‘60s, says Dr.
Howard Russell o
Ontario Institute for Studies
in Education.

He tolda conference of the
Ontario Association for
this
conclusion of a 1976 study
commissioned by the
provincial ministries of
education and'of colleges
and. universities runs
contrary to the popular
belief that math standards
are. falling.

“The findings were based
on tests given to a sampie of
secondary and _ post-

the -

secondary students in’ th

Ontario, These were
compared with test results
dating back to the days can
when examinations for all
schools were set by the
ovincial ministry.
Dr, Eric McPherson, dean

of education at University of so

Manitoba, spoke of the need

for teachers of all subjects,
but especially math, to.

recognize that. all children
cannot, do all things.

The present push for a
return to stricter standards
in education might run the
risk of having a bandwagon
elfect,
ADJUSTMENT NEEDED

ne? said the tendency in

the ast has been to treat'a
S| iu

ent’s limitations. . as.

ough they were disorders. ears ago.
_ “Sticking a/ disease -label eeThe usinessman 1s con
on something implies that it cerned that he has been -

be cured by a shot of duped

something. which.it can't,”’
said | Mert Sherson, In many

oblem could
only be pe vadjusted to, not

one St aid the
stricter standards should
not end up victimizing those
students who just aren't
“wired -up'’ for
particular subject.

Carman Joynt,
chartered accountant and
business representative on
the panel, said employers”
have the impression that
high-school graduates are
far less equi ipped ped with basic
skills-than-they-

ush towards gettin

that —

because . the
that are coming to |
employees are
would like to r

e he
yan,” he

said. “But at the, moment, :

he doesn't know what he is

”

Pussel replied that those

perceptions ‘are shared by . -
many’. people in education. -

“Math educators” are.
more critical of the abilities
of their students in. math .

Cusuel sald, Bute ft

that the recent studies
indicated no grounds f for this —

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(cP) —
Although pewter used to be
an inexpensive alternative .
were: a: few: “tor sliver, inflation. hag; comparably priced; Says |

bu

ushed up tin prices in the
ast two years to the point
where pewter and silver are

Tham Tai Ctun of Malaysia.
Mrs. Tai: Chun, - who

visited Toronto recently, is a

master remith.
. She _ emonstrated her

‘eraft ‘to thal Se ic -and .

Selangor. co.

ind nail ae
wer.

tinet’ ns dete The more tin,
the clearer the sound when

tap it. n
we “A Smooth satin finish’ and, ;
neat ‘soldering are -other .
ities to look for when ~

pewter,” said Mra:, -
Tai.C “It takes years
for a craftsman to learn the.
art of pewter po het ane

“IF o doesn’t 1 bok the

 carbon-steel. polishing

blades. at just the right angle
or doesn't hold his hand
steady, he may remove
more of the surface from
one side of a container than
the other,”

She said all surfaces must
have the same shine.
PLANT POLISHES .

The _ final lustre” ‘on
Selangor’ is obtained by
using theleaf ofa Malaysian.

. plant—one_ of the gentlest
-Bbrasions. known to man.

"Mrs. Tai Chun said a well-
finished piece of pewter
should retain its lustre
through a lifetime. with onl y

a simple washing with -

warm, soapy water, rinsing

and wi ing dry with a soft :
cloth when 1 —
Like crystel or good
silver, pewter must be -
handled with care. Light
scratehes can be removed

-with special pads rubbed in» os
the. direction of the grain.

Although it is softer than

‘silver: and. therefore more, ~
- easily damaged, modern

ae cppeata fxfaich, The
a ance of antique —
‘pewter ia due to to its J Jead
content, oo

- Since ewter has.

« Chinese Zodiac - ion
athe Chinese Zodiac con-"-

. "tains 12 animals, and each -

comes around five times ina
. 6 year cycle, 1977 is the
- Year of the Snake.

nelting point; :
7 +4 ‘for “ i