"Why do we need this anyways?

     The way math is taught has changed plenty throughout the years, with new discoveries, new technologies, and new educational requirements. Even with those differences, there is one experience that all math teachers have, and that is answering the age old question, “Why do we have to learn this anyways?” Telling kids that they “simply must” never works, so what are we to say? Most of my teachers told us we will need it for college, for work, and just for everyday life. But the most memorable answer I received was, “You may not ever need this. If a stranger runs up to you and asks you to solve an algebraic expression, you should run. But at least you are learning valuable problem solving skills.” All these answers, however, seemed vague to me. As the impressionable teenager I was, their vague answers did not exactly pique my interest in my studies of mathematics. In fact, it made me think they mattered even less. The issue here is that what all those teachers said is true. Math learned, especially in secondary school, is used for college, work, and simply growing those necessary skills. Those things, however, really do matter, so how do we make students understand that? I think math lessons need to include more realistic, everyday examples. I mean, who’s buying eighty-six bottles of dish soap? Another idea that could be useful would be dedicating a day to explaining the usefulness of math. This could look like an activity day, or maybe even guest speakers. Once a student knows why it is so important, I’d wager that they’ll be more inclined to take their mathematic studies more seriously.