TED Talk: Arthur Benjamin's Formula for Changing Math Education

In this talk, Arthur Benjamin argues that we need to fundamentally change the progression and focus of high school mathematics courses.  In the current system, high school math courses are designed, in large part, to prepare students for the study of calculus, so they focus heavily on algebraic reasoning and manipulation of algebraic expressions and equations.  Many students do take calculus, either their senior year or in college, and some will use it in their careers, but those students, in reality, are few and far between, contends Benjamin.  He asserts that statistics is a branch of mathematics that is much more useful in everyday life, and that is important for people to understand in order to be informed, critically thinking citizens.  A good understanding of statistics, he feels, should be the culmination of high school mathematics, for the majority of students.

I agree with Benjamin.  Statistics is a much more applicable field than calculus for the vast majority of people, and it seems to me that beyond Algebra I, what is learned in high school math classes is not used in everyday life or in a career except by a small number of people who go into math-intensive careers such as engineering.  It doesn't seem like a productive use of educational time for a student to spend three years learning the prerequisite skills to calculus if that student will never take calculus, or will take it but will never use it afterward.  Obviously, some students need to be prepared for and take calculus (we need engineers, physicists, astronomers, economists, etc.), but most students don't need to.

I have always felt that it was unnecessary to require all students to learn algebra to the level that they are required to in the United States, but it had never occurred to me that the reason students are required to do this is because our system of math education is based on an ultimate goal of learning calculus.  It makes sense, though, and I agree with him that it would be better if all of our citizens had a good understanding of statistics, as this helps people to understand political and social issues and many other day-to-day concepts.