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I've found this fantastic essay (with a very apt title) by Paul Lockhart on the (sad, sad) state of mathematics education in North America.
Here is the link: http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
It's definitely worth reading for all educators out there.
Here is the link: http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
It's definitely worth reading for all educators out there.
How many people actually use any of this “practical math” they supposedly learn in school? Do you think carpenters are out there using trigonometry? How many adults remember how to divide fractions, or solve a quadratic equation? Obviously the current practical training program isn’t working, and for good reason: it is excruciatingly boring, and nobody ever uses it anyway. So why do people think it’s so important? I don’t see how it’s doing society any good to have its members walking around with vague memories of algebraic formulas and geometric diagrams, and clear memories of hating them. It might do some good, though, to show them something beautiful and give them an opportunity to enjoy being creative, flexible, open-minded thinkers— the kind of thing a real mathematical education might provide.
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