I recently read a piece in NCTM’s Mathematics Teacher that dealt with how math teachers answer the two most prevalent student questions:
- Why do I have to learn this?
- When am I ever going to use this?
The author analyzed the shortcomings of typical responses instead of proclaiming the one “right” answer to these questions. I found myself nodding in agreement as I read most of the article. The author contends that coming up with contrived “everyday” uses of theoretical and abstract math concepts diminishes the value of the topic being studied and that students often see through these thinly veiled attempts at legitimacy. I agree. He also contends that the “occupational responses” such as “engineers use this all the time” seek to shut down learning for every non-engineer in the room. I agree.
Since I was an engineer in my former life, students are often surprised when I followup a “when I am ever going to use this my my everyday life” with a frank “never”. I think they expect me to extol the virtues of algebra in the field of engineering.
Of course, I don’t leave my response at “never” – I then go on to explain that the topics we study in a typical math course are only the icing on the cake. The real value of such courses is that they allow us to explore challenging math topics while becoming better thinkers. Fortunately, the Common Core Standards eloquently elaborated on “becoming a better thinker” by writing the standards for mathematical practice:
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
- Model with mathematics
- Use appropriate tools strategically
- Attend to precision
- Look for an make use of structure
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
Usually students ask the “when” and “why” questions when they are frustrated and confused and my answers are of little comfort or solace so this year I have decided to be proactive. On the first day of school I will have a candid and frank discussion with students about the mathematical journey we are about to embark on. I hope this will allow my message to better resonate with students and will help to foster a culture that promotes becoming a better thinker.
