Now, as an educator, I can see the fundamental troubles to teaching mathematics to K-12 students. Kids often feel that math is both meaningless and uninteresting.

If you thought the safe answer was math, then you d be. As a student, I didnt like mathematics much either.

Now, as a teacher, I can see the inherent problems to mentor mathematics to K-12 trainees. With math, worksheets can serve as useful practice, but it doesnt highlight the subjects imaginative potential or engage student interest.

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Jamie MacPherson, Education Specialist, Van Andel Education InstituteJamie MacPherson is an Education Specialist for Van Andel Institute for Education, a Michigan-based education nonprofit which makes every effort to empower teachers to develop classrooms where curiosity, imagination, and crucial believing prosper. To find out more about Van Andel Institute for Education, see vaei.org.

This begs the question: How do we as instructors instill curiosity and creativity into our mathematics lessons?.

Heres a question for you: “What do you think is the most undesirable subject in school?” If you thought the safe answer was math, then you d be right. According to many studies, mathematics is easily one of the most disliked subjects in school, regularly scoring in the bottom 3. I can certainly comprehend the belief. As a student, I didnt like mathematics much either.

The art of math.

If we taught art the very same way we taught mathematics, imagine for a minute. We hand students a color-by-number worksheet and tell them which colors to utilize and where to put them. They turn one in, and we provide another. You can practically feel the creativity drain away simply by checking out those words. With mathematics, worksheets can act as valuable practice, however it doesnt accentuate the subjects imaginative capacity or engage student interest.

Student mindset towards the topics that were teaching matters. A recent Stanford University study found that “if you have a strong interest and self-perceived ability in math, it results in enhanced memory and more effective engagement of the brains analytical capability.”.