This is a student’s reflection after reading a chapter in the book Is Math Real (Cheng, 2023):
Too often in school, math is taught in a ‘my way or the highway’ manner. Teachers often use a one-strategy-to-tell-one-story sense rather than exploring the many ways to tell the same story. In other words, many teachers will showcase a singular strategy to solving a math problem for efficiency. When students attempt to solve the same problem using a different approach, they’re often told to use the one presented to them instead. Or perhaps the student uses the teacher’s approach; they’re still being deprived of the numerous ways in which a problem can be dissected. Though impractical for teachers, putting emphasis on the fact that the solving process can be undergone in a variety of ways allows for students to choose the strategy that works best for them. In doing so, they gain more independence and control in the manner in which they do their work. Instead of having one specific strategy enforced on students, teachers should explore the possibilities with them and ultimately provide students with the bandwidth to do assignments in a way that makes most sense to them.