I do not have a degree in Mathematics. Yet, I am a Mathematician at heart. And I teach Mathematics because it is a subject I feel is misunderstood and hence underappreciated for its inherent beauty and joy.

However, it is difficult, if not impossible, to communicate that joy and beauty in today’s education environments. As mentioned in the previous post, we need to stop making education’s role to be primarily about obtaining jobs. Now don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against students having the skills that will make them better, more productive employees. I am all for it.

However, it seems to me that this has become the overarching theme of education today. If you asked those who framed the current curriculum of your subject why some aspects were included, most likely the response would be that colleges or universities require them (if you teach at a high school) or that employers need them (if you teach at a college or university). I seriously doubt any answer would say that we learn the subject simply as an end in itself and for the joy it brings.

Let me cite an example. I currently teach Mathematical Studies SL in the IB Diploma Programme. The subject guide states, “Students taking this course are well prepared for a career in social sciences, humanities, languages or arts.” (Mathematical Studies SL Guide (2014), p.5) Note the stress on ‘career’ in this sentence. In fact, the entire guide has not a single sentence about how the curriculum fosters an appreciation for Mathematics or its beauty. Moreover, this course has a large emphasis on statistical techniques, which, quite frankly, would be totally useless for those preparing “for a career in social sciences, humanities, languages or arts” with the exception of those intending to conduct research in Psychology.

I also teach Mathematics HL in the IB Diploma Programme. In this subject guide we find the statement, “The majority of these students will be expecting to include mathematics as a major component of their university studies, either as a subject in its own right or within courses such as physics, engineering and technology. Others may take this subject because they have a strong interest in mathematics and enjoy meeting its challenges and engaging with its problems.” (Mathematics HL Guide (2014), p.5) Note again the emphasis on ‘university studies’ which would simply be a stepping stone to a career.

I fully laud the different Mathematics subjects the IB Diploma Programme has on offer with the supposed aim being to cater to different student needs. However, much of the Mathematical Studies syllabus content seems to be to be there only because they had to bloat the syllabus to justify the 150 teaching hours that most of the students taking it would rather devote elsewhere!

Further, apart from a brief sentence on page 4 of each guide, the idea that Mathematics has an inherent beauty just does not appear. Why else would the Mathematics HL syllabus not have a strong geometry component?

To me this is a failing of all Mathematics curricula in the world. We are so driven by what future careers need and what universities require as entrance criteria that we have confused mathematical process and for mathematical skill and substituted mathematical content for mathematical aesthetics.

Mathematics is one subject that is peddled to students as a means to an end instead of as an end in itself. These externals ends are clearly stated in all the syllabus documents. Only rarely will you find a statement like ‘this course is intended to expose students to the aesthetics and joy of Mathematics’ or ‘this course is devoted to introducing students to a world of human play – namely Mathematics.’

Instead Mathematics is made subject to other needs. And then we wonder why more students do not love the subject. But this is no mystery. A sculptor may care for her tools. And she may take great care of them. But the attachment she has for them will never compare with the the love she has for something she has created. For tools can be replaced. But a work of art is unique.

And so, with hope that someday this subject I love will be taught as a subject to love rather than as a subject to be used, I continue to teach a travesty depicted as good.