Technolandy

Day 24 (of 2025/26) #mathmonday – the ultimate answer is 42 – the inverse of today’s number..l let’s focus on some questions…

My opening rant as I was composing this blog: Ugh. I’m seeing a lot if educators on social media encouraging a return to more direct instruction. I’m not against expkicit direct instruction when we are in Vygotskys zone of proximal development. But I also know a variety of strategies are needed and love how powerful project based learning is. I need to highlighting ‘the good parts” of mathematics including that we need: more talking in math class. More reflection time. More play (I am doing recreational mathematics weekly videos highlighting games to play) and rabbit hole project ideas to lead into metaphorical warrens of ideas branching from each other. Mindful practice, but not so much that we drive learners into boredom or frustration. And I can hear Douglas Adams voice talking to me, as I am promoting a big part of the future in humanities… sciences… and math, asking the right question is more important than just having the ultimate newer to life the universe and everything… hmmm….

Lately, I’ve noticed a growing call to “return” to direct instruction in classrooms. And while I’m not against explicit teaching—especially when it helps learners move through Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development—I do worry when we treat one approach as the only approach. Learning, like mathematics itself, thrives on balance.

In math, we need more talking—not less. Conversation gives form to thinking. When students articulate their reasoning, debate possibilities, or simply wonder aloud, they deepen their understanding far more than through silent repetition.

We need more reflection time—the pause between problem and solution where metacognition grows. And we need more play—that joyful exploration of ideas that turns curiosity into creativity. Each week, I’ve been diving into recreational mathematics: games, puzzles, and those delightful rabbit holes that lead to unexpected connections—metaphorical warrens branching between geometry, philosophy, and imagination.

Of course, practice matters. But mindful practice—attentive, curious, purposeful—mustn’t slide into the monotony that drains wonder from numbers. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s persistence.

If Douglas Adams taught us anything, it’s that the answer “42” doesn’t mean much without the right question. The future of mathematics (and, frankly, of all learning) lies in nurturing the thinkers who ask—Why? What if? How else might this connect?

Do some dramatic experiments (yes…I’ve done these) stop giving ✔️s and Xs and /100 scorings – don’t even give the (growing in popularity and understanding) 1-4 score on a performance scale (holistic review routinely trounces averaging scores when reporting on accuracy for reporting on/grading student work.l. Just give descriptive feedback and discuss what they are doing well and what to work on – focus on the individuals rather than the average of a range of diverse learners. 

So, rather than retreat to rows of desks and one-right-answer drills, let’s cultivate classrooms where learners talk, reflect, and play their way through the patterns of the universe. Because math, like life, isn’t just about finding the answer—it’s about asking the beautiful questions that make the search worthwhile.