Is math the hardest subject to teach? Why or why not?

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I've always felt like it's a pretty easy job in elementary school, but once you get to middle grade or high school age students I think it's arguably one of the hardest subjects to teach. Once they realize learning it is a choice it becomes much harder to engage students.

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I think it’s just about your comfort level. I love teaching math! I’m a data person.

I would say not. Much less subjectivity in grading, it relates to EVERYTHING, and I’m not stuck reading essays all weekend. The grading is consistent rather than having nothing for a while and then a big dump when essays and projects are due. And the former is my preferred work mode. I would much rather have a steady amount of work every day than a sudden mountain of work spring into life overnight.

Depends. If you have diligent students who are near grade level, have good attendance, and make an effort, it is a breeze. If you have lackadaisical students who miss a lot of class, always have, and are way behind, it is impossible. You can certainly teach them some math, but not necessarily the level you are supposed to.

The earlier post regarding subjectivity and consistency is true, but so is the post regarding lackadaisical students. Math is the least liked by most people, but don't teach math if you don't love it. Having taught mostly geometry for 24 years, and I love it, I have students, who are mostly 10th graders tell me, two things: 1) I still don't like math but I like your class, or 2) I finally like math. I thank them for the compliment, but inside I think "you have disliked math for so long, it may be too late".

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