C/O Yoohyun Park

MacDivest paints mural to demand attention from the Board of Governors

On March 4, 2021, McMaster University announced that President David Farrar had urged the Board of Governors to divest from their use of fossil fuels as an investment pool.

“President David Farrar has asked the Board of Governors to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from the university’s institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” stated the University.

Farrar spoke about how the McMaster community wants to see consistent changes.

“It is necessary, alongside our carbon reduction activities, to confirm that we want to be a leader in these areas and so today I asked the university’s Board of Governors to work with us to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from our institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” said Farrar.

These sentiments rang through the McMaster community. Groups like MacDivest are curious about what this could actually mean for the future of McMaster. 

MacDivest is a public interest project under OPIRG McMaster, a nonprofit organization that offers students the chance to take action on social justice and environmental issues. 

As a group, MacDivest has two goals. The first is a continual attempt to raise awareness about McMaster’s investment in fossil fuels. The second aims to create a plan for divestment that has a basis behind it, factoring in McMaster and the current environmental climate.

As such, the group has organized, and continues to plan, different ways to bring light to this issue. On Sept. 13, they banded together to paint a mural with the phrase “No brighter world without divestment” on the front steps of Gilmour Hall. 

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Simran Dhindsa, a member of MacDivest, explained why this was chosen.

“We were debating multiple places . . . but once we arrived to the area we were like this seems like the perfect place to lay out our image. [We chose that area] because the Board of Governors office is there. Our mural was a message to them, to bring awareness that we have been demanding action about climate change for a while and about divestment,” said Dhindsa. 

She went on to explain that the mural was painted due to a lack of action from the Board of Governors.

“Seeing news like [Farrar’s announcement] is motivating, that conversations like that are happening. At the same time, it seems more to just say that ‘conversation’ is happening instead of actually taking action about them. MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply,” explained Dhindsa.

"MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply."

Simran Dhindsa, member of MacDivest

Srishti Sharma, a student at McMaster, saw the mural being painted that morning.

“I thought it was very empowering,” said Sharma.

According to Dhindsa, five hours after they had painted the mural it was promptly washed off. She explained that they had begun at 9 a.m. and by 1 p.m. it was being washed off. However, despite the mural being washed off, Dhindsa believes they had made their message clear.

“David Farrar — we had met him that morning and he did see us make the mural. So I think we kind of accomplished our goal of making them aware,” said Dhindsa.

On Sept, 16, MacDivest shared an official response to McMaster’s treatment of the mural. 

“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured,” stated MacDivest.

“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured.”

macdivest
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When the Silhouette reached out to the Board of Governors, they declined an interview. 

PHOTO C/O Arnaud Jaegers

An overview of the current state of Canada’s political parties

By: Max Cornblum, Contributor

On Sept. 20, 2021, Canadians across the country voted in an early federal election called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

Results of the election formed another minority government under the Liberal party, leaving Canadians to wonder what the future of the government would look like in the face of a new, but almost identical, parliament.

Liberal Party 

After winning 159 seats and maintaining their minority government, many now-former members of parliament have lost their pensions. Pensions are awarded after six years of being seated in parliament and this election was called just over two months before some of those pensions would have vested. 

Filomena Tassi, Member of Parliament for the Hamilton West, Ancaster and Dundas constituency, stands by the Liberal government’s decision to call a snap election.

Tassi believes that the party’s win proves Canadians agree with what the party has been doing and what they plan to do moving forward.

“The Canadians have accepted the mandate and that they agree with the way that we have navigated through COVID-19 and they say that they agree with our plan moving forward with regards to [future plans in things] such as environment, childcare and housing,” said Tassi. 

Tassi added that she doesn’t see the snap election as a waste of money, but rather as a mandate from Canadians to have either voice heard. 

“It is important that as we move forward, we are listening to Canadians, and this was the opportunity for Canadians to have their say with respect to what we have invested in,” explained Tassi.

“It is important that as we move forward, we are listening to Canadians, and this was the opportunity for Canadians to have their say with respect to what we have invested in.”

Filomena Tassi, Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, Ancaster & Dundas Constituency

Justin Trudeau currently remains the leader of the party. However, following public outrage regarding Trudeau’s decision to call the snap election, it remains to be seen as to whether the Liberal party is still committed to the Trudeau name.

Conservative Party 

As the Conservative Party’s leader, Erin O’Toole’s platform let the voters know that he was pro-2SLGBTQIA+ and pro-abortion. He also supported a federal carbon tax, which was unheard of for a conservative leader. 

However, the Conservative Party’s turn towards the centre with a more moderate leader such as O’Toole didn’t make up any ground from the Liberals. 

As a result of the snap election, the Conservative Party now holds 119 seats in the House of Commons, a loss of two seats compared to the 2019 election

“While [the Conservative Party] didn’t get the results we had hoped for, I am proud of our team for holding the Liberals to a minority in this pandemic election,” said O’Toole. 

“While [the Conservative Party] didn’t get the results we had hoped for, I am proud of our team for holding the Liberals to a minority in this pandemic election.”

Erin O'Toole, Conservative Party Leader

New Democratic Party 

The New Democratic Party was unable to pick up a sizable amount of seats despite their overwhelmingly popular policies. The NDP now holds 25 seats in the house of commons. 

Although NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, has garnered a large amount of popularity through social media platforms such as TikTok, this did not translate to an increase in seats in the House of Commons. 

The NDP will reevaluate their leadership and platform to see if they can improve their results with another leader or may decide to continue the course with Jagmeet Singh.

Jagmeet Singh remains the leader of the NDP and has stated that he’s confident he will keep that position.

Bloc Quebecois Party

The Bloc Quebecois won 33 seats, short of their goal of 40 seats. As is the case with other parties, the Bloc Quebecois won a similar number of seats as the 2019 election where they won 32 seats

Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the party, criticized Trudeau for calling the election.

“We almost feel like saying ‘All of that for this’,” said Blanchet. 

“We almost feel like saying ‘All of that for this’.”

Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Quebecois

Green Party 

After losing a Member of Parliament to the Liberals because of an internal party dispute about the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Green Party received far fewer votes than in 2019 and won two seats. 

Despite climate change being a top priority for voters, the party dedicated to the climate lost ground and credibility with voters.

In her own riding in Toronto Centre, the previous leader of the Green Party, Annamie Paul, was unable to win her seat as well. Even before the election, her standing within the party was already in tatters

Paul has now resigned and the Green party will begin its search for a new leader. 

With only two seats in the House of Commons after this election, the Green Party does not meet the requirement of at least 12 seats to be deemed a recognized party for parliamentary proceedings. 

People’s Party 

While the People’s Party of Canada was able to increase its share of the popular vote, it remained unable to make any ground and won zero seats. 

PPC leader, Maxime Bernier, also lost in his own riding in Beauce. 

While the rise of right-wing populism has given great success to parties around the world, it appears that the ideology shared by these parties is not welcomed by enough Canadians to make this party feasible. 

After an election that didn’t change the political landscape, every party is left to reflect on what happened in their campaign. Every party must reevaluate its strategies and come prepared for the next election either in 2025 or earlier.

Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator

Discover local BIPOC wellness brands to curate your own self-care kit

With reading week around the corner, there is an audible sound of relief echoing through campus and understandably so. It has been an exhausting few months for everyone, constantly adapting to new changes and challenges. 

Some of us may have lost our jobs; others may be worried about the health and safety of our loved ones. Although it has only been a month into the new school year, you may be feeling tired and overwhelmed, and that’s totally okay. It’s normal to feel anxious, stressed, burnout or whatever else you may be experiencing right now. That’s why it’s all the more important we engage in self-care in our daily routines. 

Practicing self-care can help redirect your attention away from the stresses of daily life, to your mind and body and it looks different for everyone. It might involve watching a movie, doing a long skincare routine, meditating, running or perhaps it’s spending time with family at home. Whatever it may look like for you, if you are looking to add to your current routine or start one this reading week, here is a list of seven Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) brands that may help you in your self-care journey.

Glowing Gardens

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If you are interested in healing through aromatherapy, Glowing Gardens offers hand-poured, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free scented candles in unique shapes and colours. One of their best sellers is the Baby Buddha candle, however, you can find others in angel, peach and abstract shapes as well. 

It also offers Moody Jars, which are candles layered in various scents and colours in a single cup, and healing crystals. The candles are soy or beeswax based, both of which are sourced from Canada. 

The face behind the brand is Deanna Clarke, a candle maker and makeup artist. Her love for candles grew into Glowing Gardens last year, and since the launch of her brand, she has taken part in many virtual markets and pop-ups in Hamilton and surrounding areas. 

Xubriance 

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Established in August 2020, Xubriance is a self-care and healing-focused business, selling handmade bath scrubs, bath teas, body butters and crystals. 

The brand name was inspired by the word exuberance and the founder’s first name, Bri. Taken together, the name represents strength, energy, positivity, excitement and self-love. The company’s mission is to share self-care and healing tools and aid people through their healing journeys.

Perfectly Imperfect

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Perfectly Imperfect is a local skincare brand, offering organic and inexpensive skincare products. You can find everything from handmade body butter and bath bombs to face steamers and soaps. Even if you’re not interested in looking after your skin for aesthetic reasons, the very act of taking care of yourself through a skincare regime can be soothing and comforting.

Steel Town Athletic Club

Self-care can also look like physical exercise. Steel Town Athletic Club is a local community group focusing on BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks to run in a safe, comfortable and fun environment. Currently, the club offers community group runs in a socially distanced formation. Interested members can join the trail running program, where you explore trails and waterfalls in Hamilton; Wednesday BIPOC exclusive run night, a program that provides a safe space for BIPOC folks to run together; and club race team, a group competing in local and virtual road, trails and team events. 

Goodbodyfeel

Practicing mindfulness encompasses self-acceptance, self-awareness and self-care. Goodbodyfeel helps their clients to achieve just this. As a pilates, yoga and mindfulness studio, Goodbodyfeel offers live-stream classes, one-on-one sessions and workshops to inspire empowerment and a sense of community. 

They are currently running a workshop called Sharing Privilege which focuses on facilitating conversations on anti-oppressive work. Attendees can explore how to decolonize their current behaviours and ways to sustainably share their privileges. The goal of the program is to foster a safer space for discussions for marginalized folks. Having an opportunity to express your voice and reflect on pressing issues can help you process and collect your thoughts and feelings, which is important for mitigating emotional exhaustion.

My Sweet Tooth

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Run by a couple from China who met at McMaster University, this delicious Asian fusion bakery may be just what you need after a long stressful day. My Sweet Tooth specializes in everything from cakes to cream puffs, mochis and boba drinks. 

Give yourself a reward for all your hard work and achievement with one of their exclusive treats. Self-care includes acknowledging your accomplishments, and taking time to do something for yourself as a reward. Even if it may not be buying yourself a treat, rewards can help you appreciate your progress. 

Ark & Anchor

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Nestled in the intersection between King Street West and Queen Street South is the Ark & Anchor café. The café's many different clubs and events help it stand out among others on the block. If you are looking for a fun activity to unwind and a community to share your interests with, these clubs may be of interest to you. Finding hobbies and making time for self-indulging activities can help you to find balance in your life. Programs include roleplay game Mondays, board game Thursdays and a monthly book club called Ship’s Log

Self-care is an endless journey. Whether you find joy in aromatherapy, skincare, physical exercise, eating or pursuing a hobby, we all need a self-care routine. These BIPOC businesses can help you explore your interests and build better self-care habits. 

After having spent the pandemic season as a member of the Edmonton Prospects, Julian Tymochko is back and hungry for a championship

Photo: C/O Edmonton Prospects & Julian Tymochko

McMaster may have gone a year without sports, but not all of their athletes chose to wait out their return to the game. Marauders pitcher Julian Tymochko decided instead to make his way out to Edmonton, where he would join the Edmonton Prospects, a semi-pro league in the Western Canadian Baseball League. 

The WCBL rooted itself in Canada in 1948, and has been operating ever since as one of the most well known independent leagues in the country. Featuring notable alumni such as Andrelton Simmons (four time Gold Glove award winner), Marco Gonzalez, Andrew Kittredge (2021 All-Star), John Axford (Reliever of the Year award winner) and several other players who found themselves in Major League Baseball, the WCBL functions as a summer collegiate baseball league for young players to showcase their talents. 

For the 2021 season, McMaster’s reigning Cy Young award winner (awarded to the league’s best pitcher) made his way to Alberta. After having not gotten game time in over a year, Tymochko made the most of his opportunities within the pandemic, getting back on the field with the Edmonton Prospects. 

GURU CY YOUNG RHP goes to Julian Tymochko of @McMasterBasebal!

@VeryBritish
Graphic @kmacdonaldRTA pic.twitter.com/zB6OteWLu4

— Canadian Baseball Guru (@GuruCBG) October 10, 2019

“My time with Edmonton was a really cool experience. [I] spent the summer there after being pretty worried that the [university] season might be cancelled,” explained Tymochko.

After 40 games in 60 days, Tymochko enjoyed his first opportunity in months to get back on the field, and cherished getting the opportunity to play on a regular basis again. He returned from the season satisfied with both the experiences he gained and the results that he had. 

“I felt really good, I was pretty proud of how I performed out there. I knew it was very very competitive. Without playing for two years, without being able to know how well I’ve been doing, and how well my training has been going, to put up the results I did, it was really rewarding,” said Tymochko. 

As exciting as it was to have the success that he did, including having been named the game one starter for the team, Tymochko was even more excited upon discovering that he would have one more opportunity to return to McMaster. In his final year of eligibility, he gets to show off everything he had learned over the summer with the Prospects in one more chance at a title run.

“I extended my degree just in case there was a chance of [university baseball]. . . Knowing that I was coming back from such a strong league in Alberta, I was pretty excited to show all the guys I’ve been training with for the past four to five years what I’ve learned, and what I’ve picked up,” said Tymochko.

For his last season with McMaster, Tymochko has his eyes set on one thing and one thing only: a title. With a team full of veterans and youngsters showing real promise, Tymochko believes that this is a team with a serious chance to take home some hardware. 

“As a team we’re looking to win the championship. I think we have a really good shot at it this year. . . We’re two weeks into the season, and we’ve shown that we’ve got the ability to win it,” saidTymochko. 

With Nik Motruck coming off a year in which he was named Most Valuable Player and Tymochko returning as the reigning Cy Young winner, the chance at a title is arguably the strongest it’s been since McMaster’s last title run in 2008. The team currently sits with a record of four wins and two losses with Tymochko paving the way. 

Sporting a 0.00 earned run average through 11.0 innings pitched, Tymochko could find himself in line to take home the Cy Young award once again. Should he achieve his goal of finishing with a 0.00 earned run average, it shouldn’t be of much surprise to see him named the Cy Young winner again, maybe this time with a championship trophy in his arms.

McMaster’s 5:30 a.m. athletes: the rowing team

C/o Yoohyun Park

Meet a McMaster sports team who finds themselves with very minimal media share — the rowing team. They were founded in 2002 and are composed of varsity, junior varsity and novice teams. The rowing team attends numerous regattas, the most recent one being the invitational regatta hosted by the University of Guelph. 

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With the lack of media attention comes a few problems for the team, the largest one being a lack of incoming members. Jacob Bresolin is the captain of the men’s rowing team. 

“Definitely without having a lot of media coverage and not much attention, it’s hard to keep numbers up and keep people interested in rowing. And definitely it’s a big turn off when you tell them that we have to wake up at 4:30 in the morning,” said Bresolin.

Sarah Oresnik, the captain of the women's rowing team, further echoed this message, conveying the difficulty of member recruitment, especially through the pandemic. 

“With COVID, we’ve had a couple of years of students graduating, so we lost a lot of our varsity members, and we didn’t have novice teams for at least a year,” said Oresnik.

The novice teams are made up of those who have an interest in rowing but have never rowed either competitively, or even at all. 

“The way novice works is it’s for people who have never rowed before and have never rowed a race in their life before, and we train them for a year and teach them how to row a race. And then if they come back for another year, they have the chance to be on the JV or varsity team straight out of novice,” explained Bresolin

While joining the team may be easier, having the will to stay on it is much harder. 

“I think keeping your cool and staying in time are the hardest parts about it,” said Bresolin. “And basically staying focused and keeping yourself from getting frustrated when things don’t go right. Especially when you’re in a boat with a lot of people, there’s a lot of factors that you can’t control.”

Oresnik agreed and explained her mentality regarding the sport. 

“When you get frustrated, [you have to] focus even more, keep your head in the boat, follow the swing of the person in front of you,” said Oresnik.

However, according to Bresolin, these hardships build great relationships. 

“Being at practice is another way that we actually build our team spirit and our team bond, just by rowing together every morning. The struggle builds friendships,” commented Bresolin.

"Being at practice is another way that we actually build our team spirit and our team bond, just by rowing together every morning. The struggle builds friendships."

Oresnik agreed, “Yeah, you’re all going through the same experiences, and it really brings you together.”

The rowing team’s next race is the weekend of the second of October, and will be hosted by Brock University in St. Catharines. In preparation for the event, the team will be heading to Trent University for an exhibitional race on Oct. 2. 

“This weekend, we are heading up to Trent University to row a bit of a longer race, it’s called a head race. It’s about five kilometers down the Trent course. . . It cuts through the campus, so it’s a really cool race. There’s a lot of energy at this regatta, so it should be a fun time,” explained Bresolin.

C/O Avel Chuklanov, Unsplash

Prioritizing work and school over social commitments is something to be proud of

By: Ardena Bašić, Contributor

The stereotype surrounding university and college years often involves abundant partying, going to events and socializing in general. While this is one way of ensuring one doesn’t miss out on “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities, it sometimes needs to take a backseat to other priorities, namely school and work. While this might lead to some FOMO — fear of missing out — it is important to respect such prioritization when it arises and realize that the benefits far outweigh the costs. 

Even most schools recognize that social gatherings are an integral part of student life, ensuring that there are plenty of on-campus events to bring students together. Homecoming and Welcome Week activities offer such examples. While the concept of meeting and engaging with new people is intriguing in and of itself, most people also feel pressure to do so in order to ‘fit in’ and not miss out on such experiences. 

Unfortunately, it is quite arduous to try and attend all these events while balancing other responsibilities. It is crucial to realize that, while there is always a party around the corner, education and work needs to be prioritized to foster a stable and prosperous future. While this is an understandable concept, peer pressure and trying to adhere to the ‘norms’ of a post-secondary education may blur that important notion. 

The idea of FOMO has become even more pronounced after COVID-19. For more than a year, the majority of our get-togethers have either been cancelled or done through a screen. What’s more is that our obligations have also been more flexible, with many schools, jobs and extracurriculars being moved online or to a hybrid format to accommodate these unprecedented times. 

It is clear to see why most people, especially students, are eager to get back to a ‘new normal’. Yet, we also need to return to finding a balance between the things we want to do, and the things we need to do. 

It is clear to see why most people, especially students, are eager to get back to a ‘new normal’. Yet, we also need to return to finding a balance between the things we want to do, and the things we need to do.

Ardena Bašić, Contributor

When we decide to forgo an event in favour of an assignment or an extra work shift, we should really be proud of ourselves for being able to make that decision. When there are so many things on our plate, it can be difficult to be honest with ourselves on what we really need to focus on. 

This is especially true given that transcending societal norms can be daunting, especially  considering the potential reactions from one’s peers. Instead of seeing yourself as a “buzz-kill” the next time you skip a party, reconsider that perspective to realize the effort you are putting into yourself and your future development. 

Alongside overcoming the barriers to making such a decision, putting in a little more work over play can also help ebb the difficulty one has finding employment or a spot in a post-graduate program. Although the potential increase in grades from extra study time may not be applicable everywhere, the skills in work ethic, time management and organization are invaluable for most employers.

Although the potential increase in grades from extra study time may not be applicable everywhere, the skills in work ethic, time management and organization are invaluable for most employers.

Ardena Bašić, Contributor

Moreover, if time is spent on part time and internship opportunities, that will allow for an even wider range of capabilities and relevant experiences to bolster one's resume. It may not be transparent at first, but a work-life balance — or even a scale with a slight prioritization towards work — pays off graciously in the long run. 

While you may think partying means you’re enjoying your youth, there is more to this stage of life than just socializing. This is the time when we are working to search for what we are passionate about, find out what our true life goals are, and continue to grow and learn each and every day. Despite what may come from missing out on one area of life from time-to-time, there are always endless new things to discover behind another door.

Photo by Travis Nguyen / Photo Editor

Why the way mathematics is taught does a disservice to its students

“What are you studying?”

This is the question all university students continuously face. It’s an easy icebreaker, a well-meaning inquiry, a pointed question and just about everything in between. 

As an Arts & Science student, I have a lot of flexibility in what courses I can take. At the moment, most of my courses are in math or political science. Without fail though, whenever I explain this to someone, they immediately latch onto the former. I’ve gotten reactions ranging from horrified, “You’re taking more math courses?” to strained comments such as, “Wow! I could never. But good for you.” 

I can count on one hand the times I’ve received an enthusiastic or an equally excited response. Because I do find math exciting. That’s why I’m studying it — not because I’m exceptionally bright or talented, but because even when I find it difficult and frustrating (and I often do), I enjoy math.

What I don’t enjoy, though, is the way it’s often taught. Math, like any field, relies on its students having a solid foundation. You need to be able to count, then you need to be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide, in the proper order, and then you need to understand functions and transformations and so on and so forth. 

If you’re missing even a portion of one of these building blocks, it’s incredibly difficult to move forward. That’s likely why there is a strong emphasis on this kind of computational learning in mathematics, on memorizing multiplication tables, formulas and theorems. But to have a truly strong foundation in mathematics, you also need to be able to solve problems, to think and reason mathematically. 

 But to have a truly strong foundation in mathematics, you also need to be able to solve problems, to think and reason mathematically.

NISHA GILL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

But this deep comprehension is more difficult to teach. It’s not easily tested and it takes different students different amounts of time to arrive at this point. When you only have so many weeks in a semester to cover a large range of material, it’s not always possible to help everyone achieve this understanding.

This kind of deep comprehension is why I love math. I enjoy understanding the theory behind computations, deriving theorems and proofs and working backwards to see how and why certain formulas and theorems work the way they do. It’s thrilling to finally figure out the way to solve a problem, to watch as all the pieces come together, all the numbers and variables lining up and falling into place. 

Most of the work I do, at the Silhouette and otherwise, involves this same kind of problem-solving: working with the pieces of information I’m given, figuring out how to find the pieces I’m missing and coming up with a solution. It’s this deep comprehension that allows me to connect mathematics to the other areas of my life, but it’s also the one consistently missing from math education. 

Over the years, there has been debate, particularly at the elementary school level, about how we should approach mathematical education. There is the traditional approach, which has been heavily endorsed by Premier Doug Ford and his government, which relies heavily on computation and rote memorization. On the other hand, there is the more recent “discovery” or inquiry based approach, which instead encourages problem-solving and experiential learning. 

Most math teachers would argue that you need a mix of the two to ensure success and I would agree. Computation with comprehension clearly isn’t working, but comprehension needs computation to be clear and concrete.

But that’s still not the way it’s typically taught. In my experience, math education is also often fragmented, with approaches varying from teacher to teacher and curricula from place to place even within Canada.

But that’s still not the way it’s typically taught. In my experience, math education is also often fragmented, with approaches varying from teacher to teacher and curricula from place to place even within Canada.

NISHA GILL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Additionally, the topics themselves are rarely linked together in a cohesive and clear way that highlights the remarkable network of connection that actually exists between them and the rest of the world.

All of this comes together to contribute to the most insidious and damaging belief about mathematical education: the myth that you’re either good at it or you’re not. 

The number of times I’ve heard people say “Well, I’m just not a math person,” or “Math isn’t for me,” is too many to count. When I ask people why they say this, they’ll give me an anecdote, usually from elementary school, sometimes high school, about how they couldn’t figure out fractions or understand derivatives. 

Students are sorted into these camps early and often get stuck within them because this myth allows no room for improvement or growth. And when we not only deny students the opportunities to improve, but also teach them from a young age there are certain things you just can’t get better at, this is where the damage is done. 

Developing a strong comprehension of mathematical concepts and understanding how to think mathematically are key to helping students improve and ultimately debunking this myth. I’m not saying everyone would love math if only they could understand it. The same way not everyone loves English or Chemistry, there are going to be people who won’t enjoy math but I think a great deal more might if they could see it this way. 

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