English language
Published March 13, 2009 by Bellevue Literary Press.
"A musician wakes from a terrible nightmare. In his dream he finds himself in a society where music education has been made mandatory. 'We are helping our students become more competitive in an increasingly sound-filled world.' Educators, school systems, and the state are put in charge of this vital project. Studies are commissioned, committees are formed, and decisions are made— all without the advice or participation of a single working musician or composer."
A brilliant research mathematician reveals math to be a creative art form on par with painting, poetry, and sculpture, and rejects the standard anxiety-producing teaching methods used in most schools today. Witty and accessible, Paul Lockhart’s controversial approach will provoke spirited debate among educators and parents alike, altering the way we think about math forever.
Beautiful book. Changed the way I think about math, as someone who loves math.
This book is in two parts. Part one, "Lamentations," argues that the way math is taught in school is all wrong. (One of the chapters in that section is called, "High School Geometry: Instrument of the Devil." It definitely reflected some of my feelings about Geometry when I was in high school.) Part two, "Exultations," sets out some ideas for how math should be taught.
I found myself agreeing with the author on some points and disagreeing with others. Agree or disagree though, his passion for the subject makes it an enjoyable read. I see that Lockheart has a couple of other books that try to teach math using the approach he suggests, and I'm curious to check those out.
Lot's of lament, not enough solutions :)
