Math Class
“…if I had to design a mechanism for the express purpose of destroying a child’s natural curiosity and love of pattern-making, I couldn’t possibly do as good a job as is currently being done — I simply wouldn’t have the imagination to come up with the kind of senseless, soul- crushing ideas that constitute contemporary mathematics education.
Everyone knows that something is wrong. The politicians say, “we need higher standards.” The schools say, “we need more money and equipment.” Educators say one thing, and teachers say another. They are all wrong. The only people who understand what is going on are the ones most often blamed and least often heard: the students. They say, “math class is stupid and boring,” and they are right.”
From A Mathematician’s Lament, by way of BetterExplained
May 10th, 2008 10:25 pm
Heh. If grad school is teaching me anything, it generally doesn’t get any better. Most American math teachers aren’t particularly good, and most American math textbooks are simply gawd-awful. Interestly, apparently Russian textbooks are among the best in the world.
April 22nd, 2019 10:17 pm
Making money O
Adam @ Dusk