The proposal of a new way of looking at teaching math is very much what IB stands for. The interdisciplinary approach to mathematics by intertwining current events of social justice and politics is an effective and very important method to get students more interested in the topic. They need to see that math is everywhere. This is a good way to do so.
I particularly enjoyed how the author weaved in other teachers' responses into the article and responded to each with optimism. They were all valid concerns and were addressed appropriately. In fact, in my IB training, where we must integrate similar styles into our lesson plans, I have been struggling with many of these same questions. Will my students have the capacity to learn the math as well as connect with social justice issues around the world? Am I sacrificing skills they could gain in order to make the subject more interesting? I hope not. I hope that this method encourages students to be more optimistic about math as a whole, that they can go into their next math class without the preconceived notions of "I'll never use this in real life" or "I can't do this, it doesn't make sense". I want to create learners: people that aren't afraid of a new challenge, people who are determined to overcome obstacles, people that can take a topic and expand on it to make it more worthwhile.
Open-ended assignments allow students to use the math in their own areas of interest. This tailors the math to each individual student at their own learning pace and skill level. It's an elegant solution.
In summary, this proposal of a reformation of the way mathematics is taught is something that excites me. It's something I truly believe in, and believe that it is the solution to reshaping how students view math. I will be utilizing this strategy in my classroom on the first day of practicum, I assure you.
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