Math isn't hard, it's a language | Randy Palisoc | TEDxManhattanBeach

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Is 26% proficiency in math acceptable to you? That's the question teacher and Synergy Academies Founder Dr. Randy Palisoc asks the TEDxManhattanBeach audience. With only 26% of U.S. twelfth graders proficient in mathematics, Randy shares his solution: teach math as a language. Putting words back into math lessons enables even the youngest school-age minds to grasp complex concepts, such as fractions, that are traditionally thought of as abstract and difficult to understand. In his stunningly simple and effective approach, math no longer creates problems for kids but solves them.

Randy Palisoc is a passionate educator, known for making math easy. A founder of the five-time national award winning Synergy Academies, Randy is proud to identify Synergy as an “in spite of” school. In spite of the fact that its students were disadvantaged and in spite of the fact that it did not have its own facility and had to pack up its classrooms every single week, his school was the first and only elementary school in South Los Angeles to ever win the National Blue Ribbon Award, and was named the #1 Urban Elementary School in America in 2013.

Seeking a broader impact, Randy left Synergy this year to start Ironbox Education. One of the ways he believes we can dramatically improve America’s schools is by doing a better job teaching math to our students in a way that makes sense to them. Randy believes implementing a few changes in the way we approach math will give students the confidence and thinking skills to be more competitive in a global economy.

Favorite TED Talk: “My Invention That Made Peace With Lions”: Richard Turere

The “Game Changer” he most admires is Steve Jobs, because he had the ability to envision things we did not even know we needed or wanted.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[sprout]

thing is, math is always rushed at school, everybody grasps things at different paces, and once the smartest kid has grasped it, the teacher just moves on, not caring about the rest of the class thats left to catch up on their own and stay stuck in trying to catch up for the rest of the year

edit: people seem to be relating hard in these replies, ofc there's the occasional self-centered comment there too, but all very interesting conversations

[gullivourkenman]

Math is hard but life without math is harder...

[internetuser]

The problem is that teachers in school have to rush in order to teach you everything. I constantly have to go back and review my notes or look at something like Khan Academy. If there's even one concept you dont get, all the stuff you learn later on becomes harder as well

[HOLOBX]

math is easy until you realize you're only speaking the main language and forgot the 323 dialects it has

[heyemilywalker]

I'm procrastinating from studying and just watch videos on how to be good at math

[tankthepitbull]

Believe it or not I struggled in school, but when I got to college I finished in the top 5% of my engineering calculus class. Have confidence in your abilities guys you can succeed !

[nickpei]

“We did not create math, we discovered math.”

[scardo]

23 years old and can’t do basic math. Can’t add subtract multiply or do division. I refuse to get a job that has a cash register because I struggle giving money and counting back change and it’s hard for me to tell time. I wish I had teachers like him who saw a student struggling and actually did something about it. I study basic math on my own now with apps on my phone and sometimes with my husband. It’s my biggest insecurity and I swore when I have kids I’ll make sure they learn and live learning. One day I’ll go to college and get a degree in nursing but for now I’m learning to add with apps on my phone.

[samsquanch]

God, I wish all my math teachers in the past were like him

[sed]

Video: Math is a language
Next video: How to learn any language in six months

Youtube knows me too well

[Sara-mdnu]

I dropped outta HS in 10th grade and HATED MATH. I didnt understand it and it was difficult. Went back to community college when I was 33 years old. I had a really good professor and passed both algebra1 and algebra2 with an A. Math finally made sense and I was good at it. I believe math is something that anyone can learn and understand but 100% believe its the teacher. If I had my college professor teaching me algebra back in HS I would've done well. I have since obtained my BSN from SDSU and continued taking math classes not because I needed them but because Math is fun!!! If I can do it, you can too🤓

[kevinkatzke]

We need more teachers like this brilliant teacher

[belatorius]

Math is the main reason I struggled in school..

[Nixitur]

The "1 apple plus 1 apple" analogy is so incredibly useful. As a math tutor, I've been using it for years and it always surprises me that students aren't taught to think like that.

[silverwatchdog]

Maths actually becomes quite easy if you understand what you are doing and don't memorize. If you struggle with a section, take a step back and try to see what is actually going on. I had a weakness in sinplyfying exponential fractions, but then I just took a step back and figured out the steps to take for all of them and it became easy. My physics teacher also said don't learn examples, learn methods and that's probably the best advice for maths and physics. Create a methodical method on how you tackle specific types of problems. For example you can memorize that 1/2bh is the formula for area of a right triangle, or you can understand that a right triangle is basically a square cut in 2 pieces and therefore the area is exactly half of a square with the same base and height.

[Skitstay]

Teacher: there is multiple ways that maths can be done.
Also teacher: shows the hardest way possible.
Me : ask to show a easier way
Teacher: shows easier way but cant actually use it on the test.

[diaryofawimpycollegegirl]

he is right. most of the time in math i just dont know what they are asking me to do

[kennygroth]

sure, now tell me how I can apply this to calculus

[yadhulsuresh]

If you have a good teacher who explains everything easier then you can surely learn maths.
Mostly its the teacher's problem but we can't blame them completely, students should also need work on it.

[Aditi-cgqf]

i literally searched "HOW TO BE GOOD AT MATH"and somehow ended up here