“Do you have math detention at this school?”
The administrator who was leading the Open House for new students was unsure how to answer the question.
“Math detention?”
“You know. When you are not very good at math, and you have to sit in that small room to get help.”
In the student’s mind, receiving extra help in math was indeed a punishment akin to detention.
When I heard this story, it reminded me that so many educators have gotten it wrong.
Math education is not meant to be a punishment.
It is not meant to separate those who have the “math gene” from those who do not.
If this is what kids think, then we are doing it wrong.
Mathematics should be fun.
It should be authentic.
And meaningful.
And relevant.
It should not be like math detention.
Rich (@RACzyz)