Frustration and indignation abound in classrooms around the world. And why? Well, 'fuckin' maths', of course. And while I fully accept the benefits of + - x /, as well as some of the other more obscure aspects, I too was filled with that same indignation during my time in school.
"What's the point of learning something you're going to forget 2 minutes after the leaving cert?"
The only somewhat satisfactory answer I ever heard to the obligatory question of "Sir/Miss, when are we ever going to use this?", was "it's great exercise for your brain".
While I'm sure that's a fact and all, I'm not so sure that the habitual absorption of information requires that your brain be pumping sweat through vein-bulging skin, skulling Powerade and demanding 'MORE FUCKING WEIGHT!!!'
So here's my suggestion...
Minimise the amount of curricular time afforded to maths. That would take work, and many a crease would need ironing out, but that's not my job, Mary Coughlan.
And if producing students with intricate, marble-carved brains is such a priority, introduce chess in its place.
Chess has been shown to greatly improve short and long-term cognitive function, increase IQ, and can play a role in keeping Alzheimer's at bay. It's a hobby and a skill, and one that almost anyone would enjoy with sufficient knowledge of the game. It could become a new national pastime, one which we could take pride in, as it would not only suggest the collective intelligence of this tiny island, but our progressive and effective education system. (Although I use the word 'effective' sarcastically, and will continue to as long as the junior/leaving cert are in place).
Even if any students weren't to enjoy it, don't try to tell me they'd rather be memorising theorems and finding x. And if they're of the weird type who actually enjoy the tedium, well, fuck off. You now have an extracurricular hobby.
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