There can be no doubt that maths really matters. The lack of mathematical competency in the wider population even prompted Britain's new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to criticise the "cultural sense that it's okay to be bad at maths." He underlined that it puts children "at a disadvantage" and proposed a new policy to get more pupils to study maths until they are 18.
Poor achievement in mathematics is a global issue and maths anxiety is a real thing. According to an independent charity National Numeracy, many adults and children at some point in their lives experience stress and worry (including physical symptoms!) when faced with maths.
Meanwhile, one doesn't have to look hard to find quotes on the beauty of mathematics from those who really appreciate it. The question is: how to get others to see this beauty in the subject that is often associated with so much negativity? We propose one way to do that - in 3 simple steps.
Step 1. Watch a Ted Talk from this legendary educator
Adrián Paenza is a renowned journalist, writer and professor, with a PhD in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires, as well as a great popularizer of mathematics. In this Ted Talk, he reveals to the audience the hidden magic of this subject, with its exciting mysteries and surprising wonders, pointing out that the main problem lies in how it's often taught at schools.
Step 2. Read an old book called "Mathematics in Entertaining Stories"
Yakov Perelman, a Russian Empire and Soviet science writer and author of many popular science books came up with a brilliant idea: to use adventure and fantasy stories of famous authors like HG Wells and Jules Verne to demonstrate a wide range of fascinating mathematical questions, from the relativity of space and time to the four-dimensional world. This book, first published in 1927, is a true classic of popular science literature, making a reader see maths in a whole new light.
Step 3. Binge-watch a popular YouTube Maths channel
Mathematics definitely can be fun, and the Mathologer channel, by a maths professor at Monash University in Melbourne, is proof. Among other entertaining and exciting explanations of different (and often complex) mathematical topics, it even has a video on maths in the Simpsons:
Here at LEO International Online School, we provide personalised learning and ensure that each pupil receives vital teacher attention so that every child can learn various subjects, including maths, at their own pace. Learn more about our programmes and courses here, and don't hesitate to contact us at info@leo-school.uk.