[Maths-Education] Money Counts

[Rosalie A. Dance]

The odd thing about John Truran's message is that it seems to be saying 
(his disclaimer notwithstanding) that our teaching should not suggest to 
students that mathematics is 'about' anything.  That, I believe, is one of 
the reasons that so many talented minds from certain demographic groups 
demonstrate minimal interest in mathematics.  If you see a need to change 
something, to make a difference, to make things better for people, and you 
have not seen the applicability of mathematics to much of anything,  then 
you probably won't focus much intellectual effort in the direction of 
mathematics.  We need a wide range of intellectually engaging 
context.  Economic issues are very appropriate.  And if students get hot 
about an issue that is the context of their mathematics learning, we will 
have turned a major corner in mathematics education.



............................................................................
Rosalie A. Dance
Division of Science and Mathematics,
University of the Virgin Islands
St. Thomas, VI  00802
phone 340-693-1253
fax 340-693-1245
rdance@uvi.edu