9.9- Response- Why teach math history?

 Whether math history should be incorporated into my teaching:

I think math history should definitely be part of the classroom, even though I haven’t used it much in my teaching so far. Back when I was a student, those little historical stories at the end of each chapter always caught my attention, even if my teachers never really talked about them. I’d read them and think, “Hey, if I lived in ancient times, maybe I could have been a mathematician too!” The way they solved problems wasn’t all that different from how I would’ve done it—kind of amusing to think about.

Why math history should be incorporated:
In my own experience, math history made me really curious about how those formulas and theorems came to be. Without calculators, how on earth did they manage such complex calculations? I couldn’t even wrap my head around it. I’m sure a lot of today’s students have similar questions when they’re learning, and introducing the history behind these discoveries could make math feel more alive and less like a bunch of abstract concepts. It shows students that math is shaped by real people facing real problems.

How math history could be incorporated:
As for how to actually incorporate it, well, first I’d need to brush up on the history myself—haha! Then, I’d probably try using an inquiry-based approach. I’d have students imagine what they’d do if they were living in ancient times, facing challenges like grain production or trading goods with no calculators or modern tools. How would they solve those problems? It could be fun for them to think like mathematicians of the past. I’d also throw in a comparison between ancient and modern methods to show how far we’ve come. That way, they can see math as something that’s evolved over time, just like any other field.

Stop 1.
“To learn mathematics, then, is not only to become acquainted with and competent in handling the symbols and the logical syntax of theories, and to accumulate knowledge of new results presented as finished products. It also includes the understanding of the motivations for certain problems and questions, the sense-making actions and the reflective processes which are aimed at the construction of meaning by linking old and new knowledge, and by extending and enhancing existing conceptual frameworks.”

I deeply resonate with this passage. When I was a student, I had no idea how to truly learn mathematics. I constantly doubted myself—why couldn’t I figure out which method to use for a particular problem? Now, as a teacher, I often find myself wracking my brain to figure out how to make these concepts easier for my students to understand. It made me reflect on my own learning process back then. As a student, I didn’t have any sense of a framework. I was always focused on the immediate knowledge in front of me, never stepping back to see how it fit into the bigger picture. I struggled to connect old knowledge with new concepts. But now, as a teacher, I’ve learned to build a syllabus, to see both the whole and the parts, and to have a clear framework. This has allowed me to teach with a clearer sense of what’s important and how to link the pieces together. Ironically, the math problems that used to confuse me as a student were finally solved after I became a teacher.

Stop 2.

“In particular, it is not a God-given finished product designed for rote learning.”
This quote reminds me of the common misconception many students (and even teachers) have—that math is just a set of rigid rules to memorize. But math isn’t a finished product handed down for rote learning. It’s a living, evolving process. In my teaching, I’ve seen how important it is to emphasize this point. By encouraging students to understand the motivations behind problems and engage in the process of discovery, they can see that math is not about memorizing formulas, but about exploring patterns, making connections, and constructing meaning. I try my best to change the stereotype of mathematics among students.

PS: just sharing some memes ^_^