This cartoon has been emailed to me, posted on my Facebook page, and left in my mailbox numerous times. Surely word problems are not the most confusing, difficult thing ever? COME ON. There must be analogous cartoons for other disciplines with similar titles. Why does everybody hate math so much?
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The funniest part is people "hate math so much" but use it on a daily basis. I think the issue isn't hating MATH as a whole, it's hating useless math. What's useful to some isn't useful to all. Is it really necessary to learn anything past Algebra 2 if you plan to study Shakespearian histories? At that point, should people who don't want to be engineers or physicists dive deeper into "practical math"? Should mathematics courses be tailored to practicality and WHY we have to learn this as opposed to just hitting up some standards because it's the way it has to be?
ReplyDeleteGood questions! I guess some of what you suggest would require a complete restructuring of education. Learning something only when you needed it would imply that a person might never read Shakespeare or never learn biology if it never came up in their lifelong studies. I liken this in some ways to a Montessori type educational structure. But on the other side of this is the idea that once we figure out we need a particular skill or understanding, is it already too late? For example, I loved math in school and might never have written anything, were it not required, but writing and reading have both informed my consciousness and undoubtedly expanded my brain cells. Does studying more challenging topics in mathematics also do the same? Is it legit to comment that we might never use the math, but we do use the brain?
DeleteI guess the interesting part is that math truly is everywhere! Finances, day to day thinking (organizing a party, grocery shopping, crafting, cooking, etc) but I don't really stumble upon biology or Shakespeare when I'm trying to budget my life. I'm not saying we shouldn't explore other subjects/concepts and I don't necessarily mean "learn something only when you need it". What I'm saying is, learn what you need to learn to get an understanding of it (and life skills) and then explore what you found most interesting after that. As a high school student I hated reading (still kinda do) and writing. But I realize now as an adult that I need to brush up on my writing skills (especially for Grad work)..but where do I go now? Where can I do that? Was I supposed to know at 16, 17, 18 years old that at 31 I would be regretting not taking more challenging English courses (or any English courses in college for that matter)? I did not take advantage of the opportunities at the time but I'm certain it was because I was young and foolish (but aren't ALL teenagers young and foolish, for the most part?) So yes, restructuring is my suggestion LOL (after the 40 page dissertation of random rambling)
ReplyDeleteGood points Jen... I think we are on the path we are on now in terms of what students are required to take in school because a bunch of "not teenagers" decided they knew best. That doesn't mean we can't reconsider the path for kids in high school and again as adults. I too wish I had done more writing, read more books, and took more English classes in my youth. Some days writing this blog is about all the writing challenge I can handle.
DeleteWhy is it funny to say I can't do math? It infuriates me when I hear people say that. You don't see the same reaction to people say I can't read. We need to strive for more engineers and doctors in our school systems and fewer artists and free thinkers.
ReplyDeleteEric
I do not want fewer artists and free thinkers... I want more of them too... I think all of this has a vital role in today's society... I want literacy in all subjects, but it seems that loving math is particularly frowned upon...
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