When Am I Ever Going to Use This Stuff?

How many times do math teachers get that question! My perspective on this question is a little different though. For 29 years I worked as a consulting actuary. The next 7 years have been spent as a high school math teacher. During my career as a consulting actuary I never used geometry, trigonometry, or linear equations. Calculus was used to pass actuarial exams, but it was never needed in the work place. If a professional mathematician does not use over half of what we expect our students to learn, then why should they have to learn it. However, it would be nice to go back to my high school and college math teachers and ask them to teach me how to program in Visual Basic, use Relational Database Management Systems, understand SQL, and build professional animations on a computer that sits on my desk. Since calculators had not been invented (anybody still have their slide rule?), and computers filled up entire rooms, there is a good chance that I would be locked up as a lunatic for asking such questions in the late 60's.

Those teachers did instill in me an attitude that whatever problem was placed in front of me that I was expected to solve it. If the problem was left unsolved, that brought shame and disgrace on me, my teachers, and my community. Talent and ability should never be wasted. If there were difficulties that seemed as though they could not be overcome, get help. But never leave a problem unsolved!

That is the same lesson our students should learn. Studying math teaches discipline, daily effort, goal setting, and persistency. It is the equivalent of mental weight lifting. Lifting weights builds strong muscles. Solving math problems builds strong minds. All too often we see our leaders making excuses rather than solving problems. With the problems we face today, excuses are not an option!