What are the cultural factors that make teaching math a challenge?
There seems to be a social acceptability to saying, “I’m no good at math.” And it goes from parent to child. The child comes home and says, “Oh, Mom, can you help me with my math homework?” And what’s the message? “Oh, I never could do it either, sweetie. Do your best.” What’s the child going to think? That this is important? No. So I’m 150 percent behind changing children’s beliefs and society’s beliefs about mathematics—and about science. One of my theories about why people are successful or unsuccessful in math, odd as it may sound, is based on their relationship with numbers. Do they feel friendly with numbers? Are numbers a friend that they can play with and do things with as youngsters, either in their minds or on the playground, or are they objects to be afraid of? I think it’s important for adults to make children more aware of the mathematical objects all around us. One great example of making math accessible and exciting is in Melbourne, Australia, where a public park feature
