Why Do We Have to Learn This?

"Why Do We Have To Learn This?"...

The question all parents dread. The question all students ask. The question no one seems to answer. Such a simple question, and yet, apparently, there is no answer that finds the right balance between the reality of work life and motivating your child to learn algebra (for example). And with the recent surge in artificial intelligence, this question needs addressing now more than ever.

My problem is not with the endlessly difficult ways of answering this question but rather how the question is phrased. The wording implies that schools should only teach the content most relevant and useful to everyday life. If only 5% of students actually use algebra, then why do most students have to learn it? You have to give it to your child; they ask some perplexing questions...

Our Job as Educators

As educators, we often do a poor job of placing importance on the end goal. School is progressive: year 1 prepares you for year 2, year 2 prepares you for year 3, and so on, until grade 12, where the grand finale unfolds. But ultimately, this is just a stepping stone for university. It has the same preparational flavor as the rest of the years.

So why does this matter? Why does this mean we should learn algebra?

Well, maybe we shouldn't learn algebra. Maybe instead, we should learn "how" to learn algebra. That distinction is what separates the good teachers from the best teachers. What separates the wheat from the chaff, as the old expression goes.

The students are right; most of the content in school is not directly relatable. Algebra may not help to pour concrete or help with customer service. However, school content is not all useless. For example, carpenters need to understand ratios to convert plan dimensions to real dimensions, and the more closely related your child's career is to the STEM fields, the more relevant school becomes.

However,

Learning algebra is critical because it allows students to discover how to learn. They uncover how to comprehend the material and apply it. That is arguably one of the most important skills to learn. Give a man a fish, and he survives one night. Teach him how to fish, and he dines continuously.

So what do I tell my students when posed with this question?

Always address the accuracy of such a question. In most cases (except STEM fields), school material is not entirely relevant to a student's work life.

But here is where you have to be on your A-game. You need to explain that learning algebra does more than educate a child on the rules of letters in mathematics. It allows a student to think critically. During that process, the student finds new ways to learn, new ways to apply, and sees for themselves how effort equals excellence. That process repeated day in and day out at school shapes a student's confidence. It shapes how they orient themselves to learn new skills. They confront new content rather than deviate away from it.

And there lies the true power of learning algebra and other subjects alike.

This skill will be used every day of their life, in every office meeting, or every day on the job site. Whatever your child pursues as they get older, they will confront new material, and they need to shoulder this information appropriately.

And finally, my answer:

"Why do we have to learn this?" asked the frustrated grade 8 student learning algebra.

"It is a great question, and you are right, some material is worth asking why we have to learn it now"

"But every time you attempt to learn, your brain gets better at learning, and soon, learning will become easy for you."

“Eventually, by attempting algebra and figuring out how to handle and apply new information, this process will become second nature. This skill of learning can be used in any field, and in any career, and will ultimately give you a HUGE advantage in whatever you chose after school. Not a lot of people get an advantage in life, but if you can muster one up now, then that is why it is paramount to try to learn material regardless of its future utility. That is why you should learn algebra!”, answered Kye.