Make It Real

"When am I ever going to use this?" It is a question that math teachers have heard hundreds of times and yet struggle to answer. And, too often, students are dissatisfied with their teacher's attempted response.

In reality, a lot of mathematics we teach will never be used outside the classroom by the students who learn it. The problem isn't that the mathematics isn't applicable to their personal lives -- it's that many educators fail to help students see how to use the mathematics in meaningful ways on a personal level.

I began writing mathematics textbooks in 2002 to help teachers answer the question, "When am I ever going to use this?". Now, six years later, my books are being used in colleges and university across the country. Teachers and students find the hundreds of real-world applications interesting and engaging. And the textbooks are only the beginning.

Later, this summer I will be launching an online learning community to help teachers and learners better connect mathematics to their personal lives in meaningful ways. Stay tuned.