Mathematics is the Evil in Education

I’m frustrated. I want my students to want to learn Mathematics. The Honor students: They want to be at the top of the class, go to a top notch 4 year school, and keep their GPA up to make their coaches and parents proud. But do they want to learn Mathematics? Some of them yes. Some no. And this is frustrating. The honors classes differ from the regents class I teach in that the honors classes are more in depth with derivations and proofs of how concepts come about. In my opinion an honors student should appreciate the derivation of the quadratic formula using complete the square. Yet, there are moans coming from the corners of the classroom when they are required to take notes on something they are not tested on.

It shows how the education system in New York is solely based on grades. But at the end of the day, grades are just numbers. I would rather have my students get a B, learn from their mistakes, and admit they did not get an A than have my students receive an A by pure rote learning. But the students do not see the latter as an option. (This is evident after seeing the facial expressions when returning their first grade of the year.)