A Mathematician’s Lament by by Paul Lockhart

A story starts " A musician wakes from a terrible nightmare. In his dream he finds himself in a society where music education has been made mandatory. “We are helping our students become more

competitive in an increasingly sound-filled world.” Educators, school systems, and the state are put in charge of this vital project. Studies are commissioned, committees are formed, and decisions are made— all without the advice or participation of a single working musician or composer." 

Then on the next page the story continues "Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a painter has just awakened from a similar nightmare…"

... it is funny , or maybe it is a sad story depending on what you think about math education.  

Join the movement, follow us on Facebook!

Has the student found x?

And here is the the link for full article:

http://www.maa.org/devlin/lockhartslament.pdf