Interesting Links for 04-06-2023

[andrewducker]

1. Brexit: 'Things can only get better' say experts

(tags:UK Europe trade )

2. What Rishi Sunak got wrong about maths

(tags:mathematics UK conservatives )

Comments

[andrewducker]

I agree that people have learned helplessness about maths. There's definitely a "I just don't have the brain for it" approach that many people have, and I think that a lot of people could do better with the right help.

Maths feels very much like a subject where going on to the next level of understanding requires you to actually fully understand the current one. And sweeping on to the next topic without reaching that point with the last one seems likely to make many people unhappy without actually teaching them a lot. If you stay at, for instance, "addition", trying many different approaches, until you really understand it, then you'll probably manage the leap to subtraction. If you try to go on without it then I really do think you're doomed.

But, as you say, there is no plan. There's just handwaving and soundbites.