Math is stupid. I hate it.
Feb 25, 2008
“Math is stupid. I hate it. I’m never going to need this stuff.”
I’m guilty of having uttered each of these sentences in my life. Math was always a struggle for me, much to the dismay of my father. He was a virtual human calculator who dealt with complicated math equations in his daily life as a banker/financial advisor. Like most fathers, he looked forward to his children following in his mathematical footsteps. It wasn’t to be.
Now, in my day-to-day life words are of my most-used tools. Regardless of the profession that I chose, I still come upon math every day.
- In cooking: ΒΌ cup is smaller than 1/3 of a cup
- In Shopping: How much is 35% off of $29.99?
- In baking: Cook a 10 lb turkey at 45 minutes per pound…
- In Decorating: How much carpet do I need to cover the floor of my living room?
As it turns out, I did need this stuff. The teachers were right.
I wish that I had paid better attention in math class. Despite being a relatively good student, the further that I got in school, the less that math made sense to me.
Thankfully, my proficiency in other subjects was apparent (hello, writer’s craft), so I could get by without having top marks in math.
But that doesn’t mean that I ever gave up trying to get better math marks. I knew my multiplication tables inside and out, thanks to flash cards and a variety of unique learning techniques I may have been able to recite my times tables, but I never really understood them.
It’s been years since my father and I butted heads about math homework but unfortunately, not much has changed. Math is still a struggle for parents and kids because many kids still don’t get math.
It’s not because the curriculum is too hard, or the teachers are ineffective. Some kids struggle with math simply because the basic concepts of math are not relevant or meaningful to the student.
And when students don’t have a fundamental understanding of the concepts, they rely on memorization to get by.
Some kids get math naturally, and others don’t. Those that don’t have to work harder to develop a better understanding of math basics. If your child is not a natural math learner, then the struggle is trying to help your child find the link to the real world that will make math meaningful and relevant. It’s a process that can take years, but its one that is well worth it, because math doesn’t end when school does. Math has practical applications in everyday life. When the light bulb finally goes on for your child and math begins to makes sense, the struggles begin to slip away…
What do you do to make math meaningful for your child? We’d love to hear from you.
Comments(26)
Find this article online at: www.oxfordlearning.com/letstalk/2008/feb/25/math-is-stupid/
torreyasha - Feb 29, 2008
i hate math i really hate thats all we do in computer class anything we do have to be with math r numbers!!!!!!
kim - Mar 3, 2008
I have a son who is 16 years old and in grade 10. He has a real problem with basic math, reading and writing. he is also visually impaired, but does have some useable sight in his left eye. I don't feel that his sight is what has held him back as he has visual aids all through school, i think no one has taken the time to teach him since he requires extra time. and now he is lost in the shuffle at school. instead of making him read or write, they did it for him because it was faster, and it has done him no good at this point.
math man - Mar 4, 2008
SO YOUR SAYING that after struggling through your whole life with maths and YOU LOVE IT thats redicolous and who cares i got a level 5 in maths on my sats papers last year i hate IT!!!!!!
kuba croft - Mar 4, 2008
Hey i got a level 5 in maths aswell wicked what was your english level.
math man - Mar 4, 2008
level 4 rubbish
Meredith, Ed Director, OLC Newmarket - Mar 18, 2008
I am the kind of person who NEVER enjoyed math, but was very good at it. All but my times tables - I never learned those, I think because I was never told why I should. Because of my dislike, I have always looked for ways to make things less 'math-like', so my feelings did not get in the way of my ability to complete things.
Looking at real-world examples is an especially good way to do this, because in the end, that is why we do math. Even something complicated like Calculus has real-world applications - that is why is was originally created, to explain something about the world in a concise way.
If you look on the internet, there are lots of concrete examples for how math describes the way the world works. My favourite example, at the moment, is a website created by CBS and Texas Instruments about the TV series NUMB3RS called WeAllUseMathEveryDay.com. It looks at the math applications from the episodes of the show, and relates them to the actual math students learn in high school. It is interesting AND fun (imagine that)!
I have worked with many math students, and most of the ones who struggle, do so because they have a block (as did I, once). Seeing math through the lens of the world, instead of the world through the lens of math, often makes a big difference in breaking down those blocks.
Zeen - Mar 31, 2008
No, you were right the first time.
Nicole - Apr 15, 2008
I am good at everything else! I would be a straight A student if I could bring my B - in math to an A. Sounds stupid right? ITS IMPORTANT TO ME!
victoria - Jun 3, 2008
Math is really hard for me I am in a magnet program this year and i got a really crazy teacher we got to our exams and now I am really worried about my final and I am not even very good at math
THE END of ARITHMETICS (kuba croft) - Jun 22, 2008
shut up peps arithmetics is stupid The END!
Prophetics - Jun 24, 2008
math is 4 stupid.
everything that can be defined by math can be defined by normal words.
People are just too lazy to speak. Thats why math exist.
violet ivory - Aug 17, 2008
lala, i only got 39/100 in math... lalala.. i hate math.
lalalala.. math sucks!
Thought Junky - Aug 22, 2008
For all of you who "hate" math. Give me an example of a question that you think is useless in real life and I'll try to tell you how it's useful in life.
To me, the most important thing about math is the thing that Math teachers often don't teach. Math should be about teaching you HOW to think, not exactly what the answers are.
Anonymous - Aug 29, 2008
Modal logic isn't enough to teach people how to think. Human beings cannot survive on that alone. Which is why there are a multitude of methods out there for human survival like Psychological research and medical professions.
Along with methods for understanding our universe like Philosophy for example. Math alone can't answer it all. We rely on many methods.
Super Sonic - Aug 29, 2008
But in order to use math, don't you need other methods that aren't mathelogical to produce some of the problems? For example; sentence problems involve the use of the English language. That's not math.
Math Hater - Sep 10, 2008
I hate math who needs it any way not me geez. Math is for suckers. I HATE MATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8th grader - Sep 16, 2008
I HATE MATH!I mean its just useless and i'm failing because of it.It is ruining my life.Cause if i get bad grades a privledge is taken away.I HATE MATH AND I ALWAYS WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Arisa Asakawa - Oct 1, 2008
Dang it. I hate math. It sucks. English is super easy but Math? Psh..
Mina - Oct 6, 2008
I don't hate math, I just can't ever understand it. For some reason my brain is damaged in the math understanding area of it :/
I doubt I'll be going to university because I can't pass the math course I need to get into the program I want. :(
brian - Oct 20, 2008
The Math basics are necessary, but High end level math isn't, like Algebra, Geometry, or whatever. I mean really, I want to be in Law enforcement, and I'm pretty sure you don't need to find the square root or something while your chasing a suspect, or doing paper work. That's what I fail to understand. The basic math is necessary, like adding up how much your grocery's will coast.
elena - Oct 29, 2008
maths is stupid i really hate maths i all ways have problems with maths i'm going to hate maths all my life
larissa - Nov 7, 2008
math sucks
Larissa - Nov 7, 2008
Math suck! and its stupid!! LALALA Miley Cyrus ROCKS!! BYE
larissa - Nov 7, 2008
HIIIIIIII
heat him at - Nov 17, 2008
Math is the WORST. His examples of how we use it are RIDICULOUS. Of course we need some basic math, but that's like saying we need to use advanced grammar techniques to say hello to someone. We don't. Just the basics will do. No one is saying that we don't need a basic understanding of it, but dividing polynomials rarely, if ever, finds its way into day-to-day life.
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