Letter: Learning math early essential for many endeavors

Friday, June 24, 2005 | 9:15 a.m.

I enjoyed reading the June 20 letter, "Math teachers are sorely needed," and thought that I would offer my perspectives as a university professor on the receiving end of students who are increasingly poorly trained in math.

Unlike some fields of human endeavor that can be learned "on the fly," science and engineering (and related fields such as medicine) require many years of math (the language of science), training and preparation, far beyond simple calculus. Students who have not been properly taught math, or who garnered a fear of math, struggle and easily fall behind, often gaining an intellectual and emotional handicap, and lose confidence in themselves.

As a result, fewer and fewer American students pursue careers in science and engineering -- the most challenging fields of human endeavor -- which is creating a national crisis as we are less and less able to sustain the level of high technology upon which we all depend for our national security, economic and physical well-being and innovative competitiveness.

The more I teach, the more I realize just how critical good teachers are for steering students in the right direction and for amplifying and inspiring their talents. When I ask even some of my best students why they have difficulty in simple algebra or geometry, they can often name a pivotal teacher who "didn't teach them math very well."

Math, just like any language, must be taught properly as early as possible by qualified instructors. It is vital that our leaders understand that we must pay for and encourage the best math and science teachers for the sake of the future generations of Americans. Otherwise, it's a simple case of the blind leading the blind.

MICHAEL PRAVICA

Editor's note: The writer is an assistant professor of physics at UNLV.