Why Americans Hate Math - and What to Do About It | Robert Barnett | TEDxEF Academy New York | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A math teacher shares how using self-paced video lessons and personalized support can improve students' understanding and success in math.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🏫 There is a nationwide shortage of math teachers due to the difficulty of the job.
• 🇺🇸 Around two-thirds of fourth graders in the United States are already behind in math.
• 🥺 Traditional math education often leads to students feeling inadequate and hating the subject.
• 👾 The modern classroom approach, using self-paced videos and personalized support, improves students' understanding and proficiency in math.
• ⛔ The approach is not limited to math and can be applied to other subjects as well.
• 🧑‍🎓 Teacher training in the modern classroom approach has shown significant positive impacts on student learning.
• 🤕 The modern classroom approach focuses on individual progress and understanding, rather than age or grade levels.

Transcript

I used to have a very difficult job the job was so difficult in fact that there was a nationwide shortage of people crazy enough to take it on and when I told people what I did they said wow Rob I don't know how you do it that's right I was a high school math teacher now what's so hard about teaching math two things really the teaching and the math... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do students hate learning math?

Many students feel that the math they learn is not useful, and they struggle to keep up due to gaps in their understanding. This leads to feelings of inadequacy.

Q: How does the modern classroom approach improve math education?

By using self-paced video lessons, students can learn at their own pace and have more time to understand concepts. Teachers can then provide personalized support to ensure mastery.

Q: How does the modern classroom approach impact students' self-esteem?

The modern classroom approach focuses on individual progress and understanding, which helps boost students' confidence and self-esteem in math.

Q: How have the modern classroom methods been shown to be effective?

Research conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that teachers trained in the modern classroom approach were more capable of working closely with students, serving students of all levels, and helping absent students catch up.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The traditional math education system often leads students to hate math and feel inadequate.

• The use of self-paced video lessons allows students to learn at their own pace and ensure understanding before moving on.

• The modern classroom approach improves students' confidence and proficiency in math.