Mathematical Education
William P. Thurston
TL;DR
This essay examines misconceptions in mathematical education and proposes ideas for improvement, emphasizing that many issues identified in 1990 remain relevant today.
Contribution
It highlights persistent misconceptions in math education and offers suggestions for addressing these longstanding problems.
Findings
Identifies widespread misconceptions in math learning
Proposes ideas for improving mathematical education
Highlights ongoing relevance of 1990 issues
Abstract
This essay, originally published in the Sept 1990 Notices of the AMS, discusses problems of our mathematical education system that often stem from widespread misconceptions by well-meaning people of the process of learning mathematics. The essay also discusses ideas for fixing some of the problems. Most of what I wrote in 1990 remains equally applicable today.
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Taxonomy
TopicsMathematics Education and Teaching Techniques