Bait That Hook: Just Add Value
And Why Without Doing so, We Place the Efficacy of Education in Peril
Disclaimer: This article does not constitute legal, financial, nor investment advice. It was written for informational and educational purposes only. It does not represent the statements of my past, present, nor future employers. These are my views alone. As always, I encourage comment. All sources are footnoted for your purview.
The Negative State of Affairs
“I sell a product to a market that does not want to buy, but it is forced by law to buy it.” — Taken from Dan Meyer, TEDxNYED, Math class needs a makeover [1]
This sentiment is key to understanding both the state of education and more importantly, its corresponding impact on students. It seems so simplistic, so basic of a thought, school is ‘just’ a right of passage, correct? No!
What We Think We Know About Education is Wrong & Places the Efficacy of Education in Peril
Math Memoirs of Yesteryear
In regards to Math, I remember speaking, or more likely complaining, to my mother and Dad about how pointless I found math. As a child, I always needed to back up my statements with ample evidence through both oral and written argument(s), because that is the home that I lived in; appeals to obtain my toys back, proposals to earn an incentive, or petitions to protest unjust grounding were the norm. Yes, you guessed it, my parents held academics to a very high standard. Even today, they spend their time via FaceTime with their granddaughter reading. It brings back my happy childhood as I listen to my Dad reading in his captivating character voices while my mom offers her humorous kibitzing trivia and opinion circa Simon Cowell. My daughter beaming, enjoys the entire charade complete with the magical adventures of J.K. Rowling or Jaques Cousteau. But, I digress. Given the enormous value my parents placed on education, it was shocking that when it came to math, my mom said,
“Well, Jen, you are just going to have to do it.“
I am sure she then, went on to give me a foundational history of math, but I had seldom ever heard her offer a lengthy explanation on the importance of math prior to issuing a directive. This was in grave contrast to every other directive. My mother stated her decisions as a judicial opinion complete with context and storytelling, all rooted in logical arguments, and a profound call to action as her conclusion. Should I disagree, I was encouraged to construct a counter-argument in this same manner. Yet, when it came to math, it was almost as if she, too, was also perplexed. A banker by trade, math was synonymous to her, she likely never questioned same. Due to the uncharacteristic nature of her response and the fact that everything else I asked usually ended with a ‘less choice’ ‘more direction’ call to action, all guised in a flowery and empowering, persuasive speech reminiscent of a grassroots campaign. But math, not so much, my curiosity was piqued.
Storytelling Engages
My Mother has the gift of storytelling that captures engagement. [4] She is persuasive in such subtle ways that she encourages buy-in just with her dramatic tone and she excels at breaking down complex topics. She taught me how the federal reserve worked with respect to fractionalized banking using a brownie at the tender age of 5 akin to this This Little Piggy Went to Market poem. [6] [7]It was something I vividly remember. Yet, her rationale after all my arguments, and I had many centered on the unnecessary merits of math, was intriguing, to say the least. In short, ‘just do it.’ The woman, who could justify anything, was literally dumbfounded how anyone would negate the value of math. I postulate it may be because math was synonymous with banking.
Why is there so much hate on the M in STEM or STEAM?
Fast forward 25 years, and I now am plagued by the same questions from my beautiful daughter which caused me to ponder. Why is there so much hate on the M in STEAM? It seemed everyone I encountered had some sort of Post-Traumatic Stress of Math (PTSM), which, in turn, then spurred the question, Am I alone in my agony of algebra and arithmetic? Interestingly, the vast majority of people I have chatted with feel similarly, or equally as interesting, polar opposite, but why? Why the hate or love of math? Is it malleable? What does this say about the overall state of affairs in education? What are we missing? [8]
Ultimately, all my questions led right back to one key understanding. The problem with math is the same as with education, we do not instill an urgent, intrinsic value; we do not allow students to construct their learning. [6] This is not wishful thinking, it is fundamental to student success and a cornerstone of my educational philosophy rooted in the evidence of cognitive neuroscience, education, pedagogy, and best practices in instructional methodologies. [8]
But how does this relate to math? Can you actually construct math of all things? Yes, as a matter of fact you can! I found the perfect way to articulate this in Mayer’s TedTalk. [1] Also, in a related revelation, I now understand why we use variables in algebra. Am I cognitively deficient to not understand? Some may say so, however, I would say that I never fathomed there was a need to learn why or the value thereof, because I was educated in the traditional paper, pencil, and lecture era. I was a rote learner, memorizing and regurgitating. [9] This, of course is pre-PowerPoint, which I have another opinion on, See Death By PowerPoint a Cautionary Tale, beyond the scope here.
Knowledge Re-Constructed
After years of studying learning and cognition, processing, dyslexia, and ADD coupled with understanding the implications of the ‘perfect chemical storm’ of neurotransmitters it takes to create learning, recall, apply, and later synthesize and connect that same information, I believe it all comes down to value. Value is the catalyst for learning and cognition. If one does not perceive value, perhaps they will learn, but the probability of retention and recall and synthesis are slim to none or in the very least limited in scope. I understand that for me, and many others, had I internally constructed the need for variables 25 years earlier, I would have been better able to conceptualize math and saved countless instructors plenty of gray hair, liver cells, or other injury my insistent questions imparted. [9]
In short, this value comes down to engagement, which is why the topic is inherent to education reform and without which, all reform will eventually fail, just as a chemical reaction fails to move forward without a catalyst. [10]
Math- A Symptom and Treatment of the Disengaged Educational System
In his TED Talk to others interested in Math Education, Meyer highlights the five symptoms that represent disparate math instruction. [1]
- Lack of initiative; there is no self-starting
- Lack of perseverance
- Lack of retention
- Aversion to word problems (This is one thing I loved; give me words over numbers any day, clearly!)
- Looking for the formula
Impatience of Irresolution
The key, according to Meyer, is ‘impatience of irresolution,’ we seek ‘simple problems.’ Limiting instruction in this way does an enormous disservice to society. [1] This is our future workforce. The way we teach and the textbooks we use are wrong. The problems in these textbooks are futile; while we think we are teaching math, all we are teaching our students is how to decode a textbook, how to plug in numbers to get the answer. We are not teaching them how to think or how to critically analyze the answer.
Even recent initiatives miss the boat on organic, meaningful education. We are not teaching how to perform mathematics nor metacognition, yet these are the skills that are valued in today’s workforce and will be needed in order to adapt to tomorrow’s challenges. Id.
Value Engages, Which Equals Exponential Knowledge Powers
Meyer continues to state that ’paving’ the way while eliminating the prescribed steps is imperative to success. Scaffolding, a concept from the notable Lev Vygotsky and a term that is integrated into every early childhood education classroom, must be incorporated into every learning scenario. [11] Whether primary, secondary, or post-secondary education; financial compliance, HIPAA, or even Cybersecurity; we must teach learners to think by encouraging them to construct their own knowledge. Stated another way, learners of all ages and all respects must construct their own requisite learning to perceive value, apply, and only then, will they connect their learning to real-world creative solutions that resonate with them. This theory is a cornerstone of adult learning.[12] Why value is overlooked in elementary or secondary education baffles me. (It was not overlooked in Developmentally Appropriate Instruction of early childhood, nor play-based learning, something written off as mere pre-school drivel. But I am getting ahead of myself. [7][3]
In his presentation, it is clear how the elimination of variables fuels the need thereof, out of necessity and only after students struggle to describe the positions of each skier. See the TedTalk and referenced problem. [1] It is only after this struggle for meaning that finally, the need to have letters or variables in math is constructed as manifested by ‘(L)et’s call this skier…’ Id.
This point hits home for me, circa engagement. When students of any age learn through construction, they access alternate areas of their brain or other cognitive processes, which enlist more neurons and in the process invoke differing neural networks and connections. [13] This, then, creates both personal meaning and deeper connections, or quite simply, value. Again, as exemplified in the TedTalk, introducing a problem as a story invokes higher-level reasoning, because you can feel the need for a solution, or the suspense which grows solely out of the intrinsic desire to solve the problem, not fill in a formula. [1] When students verbally state,
“It would be nice to label the people instead of trying to describe where they are sitting.” Id.
Or
“It would be nice if we could say it better, or avoid [the abstractness of Language] steep, steeper, steepest” Id.
They are thereby creating their own meaningful learning. The impact of this type of instruction is powerful!
By having students of all ages construct their own learning, they will not only retain what they have now learned, but understand, apply and synthesize with far more efficacy. This is rooted in The Buck Institute’s Project-Based Learning framework. One of the tenets of adult education, compliance training, or creating a culture of change in a corporate climate is establishing value through common goals, so why not math? [14]
Value is not an Adults Only Concept
Why is this not a tenet of elementary education? Every child deserves the right to construct their knowledge and buy into the choice to value what they are learning. Sometimes, this leads to new connections and deeper understanding. Here is the profound beauty in that. When they [students] value their own learning, then, they are intrinsically motivated and this will sustain their motivation to continue their academic quest far more often than any extrinsic reward or punishment. Id. Early Childhood does this through play, but as the curriculum is pushed down in developmentally inappropriate ways, this play or idea manipulation is seen as the Voldemort of academics and all but disappears.
Learning is a simple process when it is viewed through the lens of value. Just as the old saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.’ You cannot make people learn; it must come from a perception of value at EVERY age. Children are similar to adults; they need this value. We tend to understand and seek to apply the value principle in adult education. For students of any age, learning without a perceived value simply does not work. Look at education today and look at the issues surrounding unmotivated students. Now, reframe this through value, something everyone needs. By applying this concept, education reform can be accomplished in a cost-effective method, our workforce will be better equipped, which in turn, thereby, increases contributions back to society. [16]
Ergo, Just Add Value
In sum, to quote Meyer, it comes down to ‘baiting the hook.’ Bait the hook, and they will bite. This principle is imperative, and as all good educators know the value of inquiry, storytelling, and how to apply that to foster knowledge construction will lead to better student outcomes. Every student, even the most disinterested, wants to learn; they simply may not want to learn in prescribed ways. Students need this foundational mindset and freedom to be successful. Students need empowerment to construct knowledge on their terms; they do not need answers, they only need to learn how to ask the questions.
For more information, see this Ted Talk, entitled, Math Class Needs a Makeover
Resources Consulted
[1] https://youtu.be/qocAoN4jNwc
[2] https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/dap-introduction; see also https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/sca/cresource/q1/p01/
[3]https://www.ted.com/talks/steve_keil_a_manifesto_for_play_for_bulgaria_and_beyond?language=en
[4] https://www.harvardbusiness.org/what-makes-storytelling-so-effective-for-learning/
[5] https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fractionalreservebanking.asp
[6] http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/songs/little-piggy
[9] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/rote-learning
[10]https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/value-intrinsic-extrinsic/
[11] https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/thought-and-language-revised-edition
[12]https://www.pacer.org/publications/fasttraining/Other/teachingadults-whattrainersneedtoknow.pdf
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22804775; see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nWMP68DqHE
[5] https://www.readingrockets.org/article/student-and-family-engagement-missing-piece-education-reform-puzzle; see also https://www.ed.gov/parent-and-family-engagement; see also https://thinkprogress.org/whats-missing-from-the-conversation-about-education-reform-student-voices-b55e1a90748c/
