The Power of Maths

My kids have invented a number called “one-finity”. It seems to be bigger than any other number they know but still finite, so they could theoretically have one-finity chocolate bars or one-finity birthday presents. It’s a word I hear frequently and I wonder if they’ll eventually brainwash me into using it.

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about maths education. How can we improve students’ experience? Are the majority of students leaving with maths skills relevant to their future plans? Are we explaining why the techniques we teach are useful? The list goes on.

Despite recent suggestions in the media, there is one thing I have never questioned: if maths is worth teaching to everyone. I believe teaching maths is as essential as teaching a child to read. Whether we are buying groceries, choosing medical treatment, taking out a pension, reading a news article or refitting a kitchen, our lives…