Sarah Strong: "Many students' mathematical trauma begins with multiplication tables."

BarcelonaSarah Strong is a mathematician and professor at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education in San Diego, USA. She has published the book Dear MathA collection of letters in which students explain why they hate math and how teachers can work to create more positive experiences. She visited Barcelona to attend STEAMConf Barcelona 2025, held at CosmoCaixa.

If I told you now that I hate math, what would you say?

— I would start by asking you why. I would ask you to tell me your story, some experiences you remember from school, others from outside of school, to try to get to the root of why you feel this way.

He's done this to hundreds of students. What reasons did they give him?

— One reason was that it was very intimidating; it scared them, they thought they weren't doing well. Many didn't like math because they felt they weren't good enough or fast enough. Others believed it wasn't useful, that it didn't help them at all. Many also became discouraged thinking they could only do it one way. Another very interesting reason was this idea of hierarchy in math: that I'm never where I should be, that learning math is like a ladder and I'm always at the bottom. That sense of rank is what makes many people dislike math.

The book also discusses math anxiety.

— Yes. With my students, when we wrote letters saying "dear mathematics," I asked them to try to identify the moment we call mathematical trauma, and they underlined it in the letter. To try to understand exactly when it started.

And when does it start?

— Many children love math from a young age. They find it playful, fun, and hands-on; they enjoy solving problems. And what we've found, which aligns with much research, is that around age eight, when they have to memorize multiplication tables very quickly and take speed tests, is when they decide they're not good at math. Others mentioned a specific exam, one about fractions or algebra. "When I failed that exam, I knew I couldn't do it anymore. It was over," they said.

There's some controversy here about having to memorize multiplication tables. What do you think?

— Memorizing for the sake of memorizing is not useful, but fluency is essential. We need to develop number sense through games, conversations about numbers, and regular practice. We shouldn't use timed tests because we know they are detrimental, but we should provide plenty of activities that allow students to play with numbers. Numeracy skills are necessary.

And what do you think about project-based learning?

— I've worked for seventeen years in a school with project-based learning, and that doesn't mean eliminating standards or teacher-directed instruction. That would be a mistake. Projects must be aligned with the required curriculum. For example, I did a project on credit card debt to work on exponential functions. We learned all the required content through the project. And if some content doesn't fit well into a project, I give good traditional lessons. I can't let them leave my class without having covered certain topics.

Why do you think there is more fear surrounding mathematics than other subjects?

— Part of it is the fault of the school, and part is the fault of society. In school, mathematics is often reduced to procedures and rules. You have to follow and memorize them, and this leads to a situation where you either know how to do it or you don't. It's very binary. And I think that in language and other subjects, where you can contribute who you are and your creativity, you don't have that feeling as much.

And what about society?

— I don't know if it's the same here, but in the United States, math has a lot of power in society. People feel that if you're good at math, you're intelligent. And this breeds elitism: "I have math intelligence, and you don't." And that's how it's talked about in TV shows, movies, on the radio—everywhere. "I'm not good at math" or "I am" reinforces that binary view.

It is also said that they are more afraid of mathematics than they are.

— A study I found very interesting showed that far more girls participated in math competitions focused on modeling, application, and creative use of mathematics than in competitions based on speed and finding the answer quickly. Knowing this, I've always tried to design my classes with many more modeling experiences and creative moments, where everyone—and especially the girls—could feel they had important knowledge to contribute. But I think the issue of women in STEM is something we've worked hard on in the United States. Now, when we talk about mathematicians in class, we showcase all kinds of mathematicians, not just older men. There are many brilliant mathematicians.

We return to the letters from his students. Once they had written them... what came next?

— In class, we continued learning, but we would go back to the cards and add things. I tried to make them understand that their story as mathematicians is ongoing, always growing and changing. One student said, "I don't love you yet, but our story isn't over." I love mathematics and I studied mathematics at university, but I also have my ups and downs. I want them to understand that mathematics is a path that isn't fixed. You can't be a "bad math whiz and always will be."

If I had to write a letter to mathematics now, what would I say?

— I've written many. I tell you that as a child, multiplication tests made me very nervous; I would even cry. But in high school, I had some teachers who showed me that math could be creative and fun. I tell them I'm very grateful for those moments because they allowed me to see math in a different light. I find it beautiful, and I use it to understand the world, even injustices. And also to think of solutions to problems.