That’s what Dan Meyer says in his new podcast. He’s right, of course. (He usually is.)

His solution, as appealing as it is, can’t be the only solution. It can’t be all things for all people. Nevertheless, listen to his podcast from Wisconsin Public Radio. (You can also search for “Dan Meyer” in this blog, and you’ll find three earlier posts that mention him, not to mention one recent post that won’t show up in the search results since the reference to Meyer is within a link to a report I had written rather than within the post itself.)

Anyway, if you don’t consider yourself a “math person” — and especially if your experience with math looks all too much like the blackboard shown above from the Wisconsin Public Radio page about the podcast — you should definitely listen to the entire podcast as an antidote. And if you liked your math classes, listen to it because it will open your mind to other possibilities. As I say, his solution isn’t the only one. But Meyer is inspiring, even if his remedies are only a partial match to what I believe in doing.

Categories: Math, Teaching & Learning