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My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math, and who see math as a puzzle game with rules you follow to solve puzzles. Kind of

My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math, and who see math as a puzzle game with rules you follow to solve puzzles. Kind of like people who are addicted to sudoku or wordle. Therefore it is taught from this totally abstract perspective and just hooks others who like the game of math. Whereas I think math would have a much greater impact if it was taught from an engineering or science perspective, where math is a tool used to explore the world rather than as something that would be a game you find on the back page of the newspaper.

alexey-salmin 2y ago
> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math, and who see math as a puzzle game with rules you follow to solve puzzles. Kind of like people who are addicted to sudoku or wordle. I wish this was the case.
8note 2y ago
children wise, i'm thinking like grade 3 where i just had the one teacher for basically everything the math was really taught by the S&P workbooks. word problems in french that you have to turn into algebra and then solve, and then write out a french answer in words for the problem. its possible that doung french immersion school is better than just the second language aspects, but i imagine there is/was similar english workbooks
SpaceManNabs 2y ago
> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math In most of america, until 5th grade, one teacher teaches everything. In some states, in 4th grade and 5th grade, you do get some segments of specialization in course load, but even then you still have mostly one teacher. A lot of applied math courses are also taught by people that despise math and just teach that course because it was given to them and they would much rather teach a course in their main discipline. Somewhat related but very different from the point you raised, a lot of people that enjoy math, especially research, HATE teaching math. I'd actually even venture it is the majority... People like John Conway were rare. RIP. I miss seeing him around Fine Hall. And now I think of Nash :(
raincole 2y ago
> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math You mean in college? I can't imagine how this is true on basic arithmetic level.
lionkor 2y ago
My best teachers were like that. My worst teachers, I feel like, did not understand or like math.
BeFlatXIII 2y ago
True in college and some high schools; the opposite of most elementary teachers. Far too many brainlets with math anxiety.

alexey-salmin 2y ago

> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math, and who see math as a puzzle game with rules you follow to solve puzzles. Kind of like people who are addicted to sudoku or wordle. I wish this was the case.

8note 2y ago

children wise, i'm thinking like grade 3 where i just had the one teacher for basically everything the math was really taught by the S&P workbooks. word problems in french that you have to turn into algebra and then solve, and then write out a french answer in words for the problem. its possible that doung french immersion school is better than just the second language aspects, but i imagine there is/was similar english workbooks

SpaceManNabs 2y ago

> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math In most of america, until 5th grade, one teacher teaches everything. In some states, in 4th grade and 5th grade, you do get some segments of specialization in course load, but even then you still have mostly one teacher. A lot of applied math courses are also taught by people that despise math and just teach that course because it was given to them and they would much rather teach a course in their main discipline. Somewhat related but very different from the point you raised, a lot of people that enjoy math, especially research, HATE teaching math. I'd actually even venture it is the majority... People like John Conway were rare. RIP. I miss seeing him around Fine Hall. And now I think of Nash :(

raincole 2y ago

> My pet theory is that mathematics is largely taught by people who enjoy math You mean in college? I can't imagine how this is true on basic arithmetic level.

lionkor 2y ago

My best teachers were like that. My worst teachers, I feel like, did not understand or like math.

BeFlatXIII 2y ago

True in college and some high schools; the opposite of most elementary teachers. Far too many brainlets with math anxiety.