We asked our Educators Rising students about the importance of math in their lives and if they had a teacher who made the subject relevant to them.
Not just numbers
Math plays a significant role in my daily life, from managing finances to solving practical problems. My teachers make it relevant by connecting lessons to real-world situations, like budgeting for a trip or analyzing sports data. This approach shows me that math isn’t just about numbers — it’s about critical thinking and problem solving. These lessons have made me appreciate how math influences many aspects of my everyday life.
One memorable math lesson involved making a fake living and career where we managed a budget and considered housing costs, costs of child care, living expenses, and other costs. This project was engaging because it was hands-on and illustrated how math is crucial in spending money as a family while handling living costs. It taught me the importance of precision and planning, and I now see math as more than equations — it’s a tool for shaping the world. Thanks to experiences like this, I have a greater appreciation for math’s real-life applications.
Char’Tayvious Edwards
Freshman | Meridian Community College | Meridian, Mississippi
Making change and playing games
Math is essential in my life because I work at Jellystone Park in the general store, and I have to know how to give change and how to count money.
One engaging lesson I remember was in 5th grade when we made our own board game with math problems. We were able to go around and play everyone’s games. I thought it was a good way to practice our math facts in a fun way.
Brooke Abigail Mizner
12th grade | Four Rivers Career Center | Washington, Missouri
A practical math class
My first math teacher in college taught a class where it was the practical uses of math in a real-world scenario. I found this extremely useful as we discussed how car loans worked and the application of math in everyday life in a way that we had never done in high school.
Calvin Plante
Freshman | American University | Washington, D.C.
Not easy, but important
Math isn’t my strong suit, but it’s still important in my life, especially in everyday tasks like budgeting or managing time. My teachers work to make it relevant by connecting it to real-world situations, like using math for grocery shopping or understanding taxes.
One particularly engaging lesson involved a hands-on activity where we used geometry to design a small park. Even though math can be challenging for me, I enjoyed the creativity and teamwork involved in the project. The lesson I took away was that math can be practical and useful, even if it’s not always easy.
Shae’Aunna Johnson
Freshman | Bossier Parish College | Bossier, Louisiana
This article appears in the December 2024 issue of Kappan, Vol. 106, No. 4, p. 58-59.
