Take back the Math!!!

 I am looking at our Precalculus book, Larson, and every section could be taught as if they were child's picture books; no story connected but all suppose to be doggone interesting. I look at the AP calculus test with its multiple steps and many processes tied into one. There is no way we are teaching for the"test." We need to look at multi-step problems and put the puzzle, the pattern recognition and brain building back into mathematics. Math is not just a tool you may reach for later in life as you are solving a physics problem or cooking. It is training the brain to visualize, creating multiple neuro pathways in the brain, it teaches us how and when to question, and it teaches how to justify our opinions and show evidence. These are goals for us to instill in our students. Take back Math from the bureaucrats!!! The artists and dreamers and thinkers are thirsty!

I was looking at my school's Precalc Honors test for the algebra 1 review chapter (I say my school's because some bureaucratic somewhere decided we have to have common assessments and if you are in the minority opinion you get shut out of the process and most things done by committee they are watered down milk toast).  It was 8 pages long took 2 days to give, IN BLOCK SCHEDULE, and was worth 133 points.  What kind of feed back is that?  Each of the 100 skill was tested individually.  No questions had interest, application or depth.
No they weren't perfect, yes they should know all this stuff but they don't.  Why because we spoon feed them a bite at a time so we can accelerate them. Even though students never see that topic again until the next level of math in a traditional book, we expect them to have all these concepts at the ready. 
Kids are kids.  If we don't ask them to know something past the due date or the test, they will not absorb it.  Most books are written so teachers can dump or rearrange topics so the publisher can sell the more books without having to republish.