How will this Ever be Useful in the Real World?!

Most (if not all) teachers have heard this question asked at some point during a lesson. As a math teacher, you might have heard it so many times over the years that you’re getting sick of it. Poor math. There seem to be so many topics that students question the relevance of, often because they really are curious (and maybe can’t make the connection), at times because they are frustrated, and at others simply because they want to stump the teacher in hopes of getting out of some work. Can we really blame them though?

After all, we encourage them to develop their voice and think critically. Why would anyone do something if they can’t see the point of doing it? I know that I certainly asked the question myself as a student and received a wide range of answers. These varied from the “you will need this because I say you will/to get the grade” type to others that were much more convincing.

‘Do well in school to get a good job’ certainly isn`t the motivator it used to be for a large percentage of students. Rather, it seems clear that students either need to be enjoying their experience in the classroom or they need to see the meaning and value in their learning (if not both).

On top of doing all we can to make lessons fun and relatable, I think all teachers should spend some time reflecting on this question (regardless of what subjects you teach). Hopefully you find that your reasoning for teaching the material is a lot stronger than “because it’s in the curriculum”!

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with explaining to students that completing this will improve their problem solving abilities or critical thinking skills. But at the same time, it seems to me that many students want more and more specific answers. Often they are looking for something practical and directly applicable. The more we reflect on “how could this lesson be useful in the real world?’, the more convincing our answers and examples will be. Then, just maybe, some of our students can shift their outlooks from a 'search for relevance' to an understanding of the importance/practicality of math.