Is mathematics really that necessary in life?
During summer vacations this year, my 10-year-old grandson – a Grade 4 student at a public school in Chiang Mai – promised to write an essay in English every week for me to read.
Here’s what he wrote this week:
“I hate maths
Today I’m going to talk about maths and why it shouldn’t have been created in the first place.
This is just my opinion, but if you don’t like maths either, you can question the ancient Greeks about it, because one of them created it in the 6th century.
Now let’s talk about why I “hate” maths. Firstly, it is too complicated, and secondly, why do we need to add, minus and divide. The third reason is why do maths classes have to last longer than other classes like science, even though I like science more. The fourth reason is it messes up my family life. If I don’t do maths, my mum says I will have to go to another school or cancel the big school trip next year. Though my most favourite subject is art, my family compares me to my friends, saying I should be like them. It’s just not right to force your children to do something they don’t like.
Maths is a difficult subject, yet my family is still forcing me and I don’t know what to do.
Please don’t be like my parents.” [Edited]
Vint Chavala
