Reforming Education Around Beauty

If You Want Students to Fall in Love with the Subject, Show Them Why it’s Beautiful

Illustration by me

The secondary/high school educational experience is strange. It is often riddled with unambitious and archaic curriculums that ask students too much without offering enough in return.

This is prevalent in all subjects, but the place it is most visible is within mathematics. It is far too common for students to ask teachers “why do we need to learn this?” when they move to new topics in maths. There is nothing wrong with this question, as it is important that students actively criticise and examine the education they are given, but this question alludes to a bigger problem.

Students Feel Disconnected from Their Education

The question of why we learn something will always be significant, but the fact that it is asked so often and with such disdain for the curriculum is emblematic of a tremendous disconnect between students and their education. It is asked as a sign of frustration. It may even be asked as a cry for help, as students might be struggling to motivate themselves when the goals feel meaningless.

A teacher can answer this question by saying that the topics involved are important building blocks for many jobs…