A x B = C A = 4 and B = (SL + LE + FT)
Find the value of C
I could have thrown up when that week’s maths homework was presented to me.
Of course, this wasn’t my maths homework, it was my daughter’s. It wasn’t too many years ago and I still feel queasy thinking about it now.
She asked the question all parents dread: ‘When will I ever need this?’
You want to say…
‘Well that would probably be… never sweetheart. But you need to learn how to do it so you can:
Pass maths ...
Get into sixth form ...
Study another load of tosh ...
Apply to Uni ...
Spend four years panicking that you’ll never be good enough ...
Join the real world
Now back to the algebra: The value of C equals… your student debt!’
... But you don’t say all that. Instead, you make up some rambled excuse about it being important to know how to do ‘the thinking’.
And that’s the problem. We don’t actually teach thinking. Real thinking. Questioning. The ability to hold two diametrically opposing thoughts in your head at the same time and not explode.
We don’t spend nearly enough time teaching our young people how to listen - to care for themselves and others.
God forbid if we should teach them meditation, self-acceptance and any other stress- reducing techniques!
Nope - the difference between a noun and a pronoun will out trump that stuff.
So, what is worth learning?
That question could be a great lesson.
Regrettably, so long as our educators have targets to meet and a syllabus to teach, much of their time will be taken up by ticking boxes. We still educate children for our past rather than their future.
I’d love to know what you think is worth learning. Please post your ideas here
Be Brilliant!
