When I was a child, math ranked as my least favorite subject. I thrived on words, stories, and images—English, art, spelling, and history fueled my passion for learning and creativity. Science occasionally sparked my interest, but math? Never. It felt like an insurmountable task filled with rote memorization and speed drills, where only one answer existed and only one path led to it. My brain simply didn’t function that way.
Although I scraped by with grades that satisfied my parents and teachers, I never truly felt like I was grasping the material. I was convinced that my future would involve absolutely no math at all.
That perspective began to shift during high school. My small private school hired a young, vibrant math teacher named Alex Turner, fresh out of college. He was brilliant in mathematics, yet relatable enough to connect with us. He would bond with students over sports and share snippets about his life, making math feel personal and engaging. For the first time, I experienced a math class where the teacher engaged with us instead of just scribbling equations on the board.
More than two decades later, the lessons I learned from Mr. Turner still resonate with me. I may not be a math expert, but I now appreciate the role math plays in my passions like art and music. His influence made math come alive for me, revealing a gift I didn’t know I needed.
Recently, I discovered an article about humanizing math, and I immediately thought of Mr. Turner. Increasingly, educators are focusing on transforming math lessons into experiences that honor students’ humanity rather than reducing them to mere calculators.
Sam Patel, a high school math teacher in Brooklyn, and Hema Choudhury, an instructional resource teacher in Mississauga, Ontario, spearheaded the Virtual Conference on Humanizing Mathematics to promote this vision. In August, they created an online platform for math educators to exchange ideas, brainstorming ways to make math feel less like a chore and more like an engaging experience.
During the conference, teachers discussed reducing the focus on speed and precision, allowing students the freedom to make mistakes. They acknowledged that, much like writing or art, math can benefit from a “rough draft” approach—a space for trial and error before arriving at the correct answer. They also emphasized the importance of considering race and culture, ensuring that educators recognize how students’ lived experiences influence their relationship with math.
One poignant story came from a graduate student who had fled her country as a refugee. She shared how the death of her father when she was just twelve thrust her into a budgeting role for her family, highlighting how traditional school math wasn’t equipping her for real-life challenges. A more human-centered approach could have encouraged her to discuss these experiences with her teachers, potentially making math more relevant to her family’s situation.
Curious about how my former teacher views these ideas, I reached out to Mr. Turner for his thoughts on making math more relatable. Now with over twenty years of teaching experience, he continues to foster a personal connection with his students.
“I strive to give my students the space to discover mathematics independently before I present it to them,” Mr. Turner explains. “I want them to understand that they come from a lineage of mathematicians and thinkers—every culture has unique approaches to counting and numeracy.”
His methods are tailored to students’ interests. “Are you an artist? Let’s explore the intersection of math and art. Athletes can delve into sports statistics,” he adds. “And for those passionate about social justice, I want to show them how math can help create a more equitable world.”
What about younger learners? To make math engaging for younger children still figuring out their interests, I spoke to a third-grade teacher. She emphasized that math doesn’t have to be dull and repetitive. By illustrating how math connects to real life early on, kids can develop a genuine excitement for the subject.
“Today’s math educators focus on conceptual understanding,” she notes, pointing out that parents often struggle to comprehend their child’s learning methods due to their familiarity with older, procedural approaches. “We prioritize knowing our students and making real-world connections to math.”
To keep learning fun, she organizes themed days in her classroom, transforming it into an operating room or hosting a glow-in-the-dark math party. Once, she even created a football-themed tailgate. She makes her classroom a space where students eagerly anticipate learning.
Thanks to dedicated educators like Sam Patel, Hema Choudhury, and others, this generation of students may come to understand math in ways that many of us missed during our education in the ’80s and ’90s. Exceptional teachers who genuinely care about their students are catalysts for change. By humanizing math education, we not only enhance mathematical literacy but also alleviate the anxiety and stress linked to outdated learning methods. This work is incredibly vital.
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Summary
Educators are increasingly focused on transforming math education into a more engaging experience that honors students’ humanity. By reducing the emphasis on speed and accuracy and connecting math to real-life experiences, teachers are fostering a love for the subject in students. Exceptional teachers who prioritize personal connections with their students are making significant strides in changing how math is taught.
Keyphrase: transforming math education
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