Is your subject irrelevant?

Curriculum experts have long argued that making learning relevant to students helps them engage with the subject, and therefore, learn more efficiently. In this article, the author argues that math is primarily taught in a painfully irrelevant way in most cases. Worthy, but irrelevant subjects, will go the way of Latin, the writer suggests. If we continue teaching math in an irrelevant way, it will become a Classic discipline, like Latin. You know how many Latin instructors we have on campus.

Of course, it is easy to extrapolate from this argument to other disciplines. At the very least, the point of view brings up some worthy points to mull over. Take a few minutes to read the article and consider the implications for your teaching.