"I’m not good at math."
"I hate math."
"When in life will I ever use this stuff?"
Sound familiar? Teachers in other subjects sometimes hear the same litany from students, but none so frequently as the much-maligned math teacher. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics once mused that "One of the curious aspects of our society is that it is socially acceptable to take pride in not being good in mathematics." While I don’t think that most students take pride in being less than proficient in math, the NCTM statement still rings true for many adults that I know. Could it be time for a cultural shift in attitude?
Peggy's companion column:
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