Do you teach the metric system?

[Jumping In Puddles]

A K-8 private school director told me she does not teach the kids the metric system because it is too easily forgotten and the time is better spent teaching other things. The kids will learn it in High School if needed and it won't take an older student long to figure out the conversions.

 

I'm just wondering if this is common.

:)

[TravelingChris]

That is utterly ridiculous. Since the metric system is easier to use and is used in science, why wouldn't you teach it? I would think that most middle school level sciences use it too.

[TammyinTN]

Absolutely it's important. I teach it.:iagree:

[Mom-ninja.]

Not only do I teach the metric system, but I also teach the 24 hour clock.

[TN Mama]

Not only do I teach the metric system, but I also teach the 24 hour clock.

 

:iagree:

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I think the private school has got it very wrong since the metric system is alone used in science.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I thought that was a bad decision for the school but it is nice to see it is unanimous so far! :party:

[joannqn]

Both the metric system and the 24 hour clock are taught in MUS. I teach them when we get to that point in the curriculum.

[Closeacademy]

I teach the metric system but I unschool standard measurements. :D

[Chris in VA]

We use Saxon, which teaches it.

Right now, every day dd is showing me metric measurements using her body--"Hold your fingers a centimeter apart--Hold your hands a meter apart..."

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I answered "other." I teach both standard and metric, but don't require mastery the first time I teach it. Measurements are used throughout math and science and of course, in real life.

 

Today, when I'm cooking or sewing, I will often look at a chart. I don't rely on my memory. My dh does carpentry and mechanics as a hobby. He'll often look at a chart too.

 

In my humble opinion, measurements do not have to be memorized.

 

Ok.... ducking for cover... I'll proabably be blasted!:D

[Jenny in Atl]

We not only teach it, but use it. With my jewelry design work & my husband's work with survey instruments, the metric system is in use all the time in our home.

[SilverMoon]

:001_huh: Teaching metric is easy compared to inches, feet and yards.

[Melora in NC]

Yes, we do, but I voted "other" because the real reason we do is because we use Singapore math and Horizons and both of them teach it. I think it Is important, but in all honesty, if my math program didn't include it I wouldn't get around to adding it. (And I know that isn't a good thing, but at least I know myself well enough to know that I need to buy good programs to teach with!)

Edited January 31, 2010 by Melora in NC

[nmoira]

Yes, as our primary measurement system.

[rwjx2khsmj]

Since so many measurement tools (rulers, measuring cups, etc) are marked with both metric and standard, it's really a no brainer to teach both.

[Ester Maria]

We do all of the Math/Sciences with metric system being the default one. Also, we're Europeans by origin, so it naturally comes as the default one in our minds - I actually had to learn myself first and then to teach my daughters to think in the standard system too. My husband, being a scientist, was also adamant on that matter, that the girls have to receive their Science education in the metric system. :)

[Daisy]

We metric plenty of times in real life, even in the USA.

 

I can't imagine NOT teaching it. :001_huh:

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I do think it's important b/c, as most others have said, it is *the* measurement in maths, sciences, and many domestic arts (sewing, knitting, et c).

 

I'm glad Singapore teaches both and if I were teaching (my girl has math online now), I'd probably even skip standard. Standard is enough in our everyday life that what we need to know will come up often enough and a fully, indepth understanding is probably important but not the most important thing. Metric, on the other hand, is more important and needs a greater, more indepth understanding. Good thing it's so easy!

 

well, easy for my girl. I struggle a bit.

[RegGuheert]

 

:001_huh: Teaching metric is easy compared to inches, feet and yards.

My husband, being a scientist, was also adamant on that matter, that the girls have to receive their Science education in the metric system. :)

Me, too! Most people only consider how stupid the *basic* English units are. That's NOTHING compared to the daunting task of trying to do engineering with English units in which units are combined in complex ways. For instance, try to design a magnetic structure like a transformer using the English system. What happens is a very difficult problem becomes nearly impossible! You will quickly run as fast as you can toward using Metric units!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Okay, I just asked my husband for his opinion on the matter and his response is that Metric will never work in America b/c it would make the football fields too long and 100 meter fields won't fit in the current stadiums AND the record books would become obsolete.

 

there: the definitive answer on the subject.

 

He's joking, of course. He actually feels that both need to be understood fully and kids need to be able to figure using both b/c both are used in various settings in the U.S. He wants our daughter to know both well.

[Audrey]

A K-8 private school director told me she does not teach the kids the metric system because it is too easily forgotten and the time is better spent teaching other things. The kids will learn it in High School if needed and it won't take an older student long to figure out the conversions.

 

I'm just wondering if this is common.

:)

 

 

It is very important to know metric AND how to convert between metric and imperial if your children ever intend to go into anything scientific, including engineering, architecture. Also, anything related to manufacturing will require metric, as well as almost any trade (plumbing, electrical, mechanic, etc.)

[nono]

The kids will learn it in High School if needed and it won't take an older student long to figure out the conversions.

 

 

I was taught both in grade school, and I never "convert." If I'm working in metric, I think in metric. If I'm working in the English units, then I think in that system.

[Matryoshka]

A K-8 private school director told me she does not teach the kids the metric system because it is too easily forgotten and the time is better spent teaching other things. The kids will learn it in High School if needed and it won't take an older student long to figure out the conversions.

 

So easily forgotten? It's all based on base-10 - so much easier! All the prefixes mean the same thing even among different kinds of measurements! What an utterly ridiculous argument! What she really means is, "I can't remember the metric system, so I'm not going to bother with teaching it."

 

I actually teach mostly the metric system, even though I'm in the US. Honestly, the only thing you need the "traditional" system for is for everyday stuff - a gallon of milk or gas, a recipe, I guess if you're building something and need to buy a 2x4 or a pipe fitting. I guess if I had a kid who was most likely going into construction or plumbing I'd spend more time on it. It's good for learning fractions, that's for sure. :)

 

Many careers where measurements are really important, like scientific fields, use metric even in the US. If you want to send a rocket to the moon or have a breakthrough in chemistry, you're going to be using metric. So I feel even here it's very important.

 

And for either system, I think what's most important is that you have a good sense of what a number means in the real world. About how big a gallon or liter is, is 30 F hot or cold? How about 30 C? This kind of "sense" is actually better taught young.

 

One rarely needs to convert between the systems unless you're travelling, and even then it's better to have a "sense". If you really need to convert with precision, you can just look up the formula.

[Tap]

I teach it and use it just as often as American measurements. Metric is used all day in my work, so I think of it and use it verbally with my kids. They know both.

 

 

 

It is so much easier than American measurements, I don't understand why they wouldn't teach it. It is a simple few lessons of concepts and conversions. A few practice problems on homework assignments. It isn't like teaching a different language..:lol:

[LauraGB]

We use Singapore math, so, yes, we do. However, we would teach it even if we didn't use Singapore. Since metric is the most widely accepted form of measurement in the world, it would be a disservice not to teach it.

[christine in al]

I want my kids to be able to leave Alabama one day if they want to.

 

I think schools should teach it. individual families and individula needs are different, but if you are responsible for EDUCATING a largre , diverse group of people then they should know how the rest of the wrold functions.

[Jumping In Puddles]

So easily forgotten? It's all based on base-10 - so much easier! All the prefixes mean the same thing even among different kinds of measurements! What an utterly ridiculous argument! What she really means is, "I can't remember the metric system, so I'm not going to bother with teaching it."

:iagree:

[chaik76]

Yes, we use the metric system almost exclusively (although my oldest does know the U.S. system since we live in the U.S.). We do use Fahrenheit instead of Celsius.

[FO4UR]

Metric is so much easier to fold into 1st grade math. :001_huh:

 

I expect my dc to know both, well.

[justamouse]

A K-8 private school director told me she does not teach the kids the metric system because it is too easily forgotten and the time is better spent teaching other things.

:)

 

Bwwahahaaa.....

 

My dh's lab uses nothing but metric. Every formula he writes is in metric. She needs to get out and mingle out in the real world more.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I teach the metric system but I unschool standard measurements. :D

 

 

I approach it similarly. I teach the metric system first because it makes it so much easier to learn about weights and measures, conversions, and all sorts of things. I use Singapore Math, and they teach metric first. English measurements are thrown in as an afterthought (in the US Edition), and I like it that way.

 

I teach English measurements as they come up, but only in the context of what they know about the metric system. They hate the English system because it doesn't make any sense.

 

Oh, and the "it's easy to learn the conversions" argument doesn't hold water at all. You hardly ever need to convert anything from one system to the other. Science, engineering, and upper level mathematics are all metric. In engineering school, the only time we switched between systems was in work/energy measurements.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Suzanne in ABQ

[IsabelC]

Being in Australia, obviously we teach metric. But we are planning to teach imperial as well. I'm OK with units of distance, weight and temperature, but I must admit that pints and gallons etc have me a bit confused, so I guess I'll learn those when the kids do :lol:

[RoughCollie]

We love the metric system. It is so easy to learn.

 

I still have to translate everything into the Imperial measurements though.

[Mrs Mungo]

Not only do I teach the metric system, but I also teach the 24 hour clock.

 

Me too but probably so do most military types.

[Ellie]

I'll be brave and say it: :iagree:with the private school director.

 

If something comes up that is measure in metric, then I'll explain it and let it go. There's no point in spending much brain time to learn something we mostly never use in this country except in specific circumstances. And if we're *in* that specific circumstance, we can learn it just for that--no biggie.

[Spy Car]

Absolutely yes!

 

Another side-benefit of early Cuisenaire Rods use, is that estimating length in centimeters is something natural for my son (and me) and we've included measuring with the metric system our primary system of measurement.

 

Bill

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Absolutely yes!

 

Another side-benefit of early Cuisenaire Rods use, is that estimating length in centimeters is something natural for my son (and me) and we've included measuring with the metric system our primary system of measurement.

 

Bill

 

 

 

Yes, my 12yods estimates in centimeters all the time. My mom looks at him funny because she has no idea what a centimeter is. :)