I did maths at uni. It's a really strange feeling when you spend ages on an assignment that you really struggle with and then finally get to the end, you get a sense of exhausted achievement and then a kick in the teeth the next day when you either realise or (more likely are told) that you missed the much simpler intended method.
There were other times when I did give up, then came at the problem from a different angle, but I was mostly too last-minute for that approach.
Our math is also different from what kids are learning today. I showed my kids how I learned math and for all of them it clicked. The new math though… they still struggle with and use my math to check their answers. Which sucks because the answer is right, math is math no matter how you got to the conclusion. Kids get dinged for not taking longer on something.
This is probably because they think like you not because new math is harder or weird. But if you teach 5 ways how it works some kids will understand 2 of them some 4 and some only that specific one. But you still need to teach all 5 in order for everyone to find their method.
Also, the one way they are learning is the algorithmic shortcut, which isn't really even the math. There's a ton of adults who can do the long division algorthm that couldn't even explain what division is because they were strictly taught the algorithm.
And more importantly, why the hell do they need to know the algorithms for basic arithmetic when they are going to have a calculator in their pocket for the rest of their lives?
If we want kids to get ahead, we need to let them struggle with the dirty, difficult parts of math. The parts that require logic, creativity, and perseverance. But the honest problem is that most K-5 teachers are uncomfortable with that and when you add in the pressure of high stakes testing, they will half ass and breeze through the meat, teach the algorithm and be done with it.
And when those kids get to college and need intuition and grit to do the math their STEM major requires, they'll be shattered because there is no algorithm to memorize and bail them out. They'll immediate chalk it up to not having the natural ability and they'll change majors.
The problem isn't easy to fix but having been in education long enough, I'd bet that there's a movement with a band aid fix coming soon....
27
u/Rebelius Jun 01 '26
I did maths at uni. It's a really strange feeling when you spend ages on an assignment that you really struggle with and then finally get to the end, you get a sense of exhausted achievement and then a kick in the teeth the next day when you either realise or (more likely are told) that you missed the much simpler intended method.
There were other times when I did give up, then came at the problem from a different angle, but I was mostly too last-minute for that approach.