My failure at maths
Posted by Ellee Seymour on Jul 7, 2006 in updates | 3 comments
I don’t have a mathematical brain and, thanks to calculators, can get on buy without this skill. However, I wonder if today’s method of teaching would have made any difference.
My 13-year-old son James has today gone to Pleasurwood Hills Theme Park, Lowestoft for a “Maths In Action Day”. The aim is to complete a mathematical project based on one of the rides at the park, it is described as a golden opportunity to study some “real life” maths.
We live a stone’s throw from Cambridge, the centre of academic excellence with a wonderful Mathematical Bridge, yet this is not where they head to.
James does not expect his lesson to last long – maybe it will be completed in record time so they can enjoy a day of free rides. I think the teachers are barking mad, I wouldn’t want to be in charge of 120 hyper Year 8s at a theme park…
What a shame
Personally once i could count, add, subtract, multiply etc, i realised there were no more practical applications of maths.
Got an A at GCSE, an found 70% of the syllabus completely useless. How many times a day do you use calculus?
I think i will avoid telling my daughter, she’ll be envious that is stuck in a stuffy classroom, whilst others are out enjoying rollercoasters for their maths lessons!