Germany Literacy Rates

Germany Literacy Rates

Germany Literacy Rates

Many years ago I watched in horror as a television commercial for Children’s Hospital unfolded. As the camera panned around the profile of a pretty young girl, it told the story of her battle with severe emotional problems resulting from her struggles in school. As the camera changed its focus a chalk board appeared in the background. Additional magnification clearly showed that it was filled with mathematical equations.

The voice over stated the obvious, “Her crisis was addressed with the help and care of our experts. Doesn’t your child deserve the same?” I was so upset by the commercial that I called the hospital to complain about the obvious stereotyping of female apptitude in math and science. My comment was politely received but ultimately dismissed. The ad ran for months.

Math and the media

Like most math teachers, I have spent a good deal of my adult life defending the relevance of my subject to students, parents and other educators. Moreover the study of math has been a source of ridicule in advertising, television and politics. Situation comedies ranging from “Everyone Loves Raymond” (ignorance of math is just so darn adorable), “Glee” (Study math? Oh, let’s just sing instead) and “The Simpsons” (no explanation necessary) to “The Big Bang Theory” (mathematicians are out of touch geeks) reinforce the impossibility of understanding the subject.