Today, we are failing
In the US, we need to change the way we teach Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). We are failing our children. I know, because the system failed me or I failed to perform in the system – either way, the result is the same.
When I was 12, my father died. He died in front of me. It was him and me, alone. I ran and got help, but it was too late. That was a tough day.
I was stressed, and my schoolwork suffered. I lost my way in math and never recovered. I struggled with math in academic settings from then on. Eventually, I made it through high school, undergraduate school, and through trigonometry in graduate school. I passed all my exams and classes, but it was always an anxiety-producing experience.
From high school, I could never catch up. I couldn't understand what the teachers were talking about, but I could see how to arrive at the answers. I developed my own intuitive approach to every math class. I arrived at the right...