Children often find it difficult to study mathematics and philosophy. Some people think that these subjects should be optional in the study curriculum. Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion and examples from your own experience.
Some people are of the opinion that subjects like mathematics and philosophy can be taxing on young minds and that they should not be made compulsory in the study curriculum. I strongly disagree with this view; these subjects are pivotal to fostering critical and analytical abilities, and thus cannot be overlooked.
Mathematics can initially seem technical, and thus, challenging, as learners tend to fear numbers, but this subject is not just about numbers, it fosters problem solving abilities, and analytical and critical thinking. These valuable life skills help turn individuals into well-informed decision makers as adults. To corroborate, as per studies conducted by MIT psychologists, most grown-ups admit that despite harboring fear for maths during their early years, they went to study it after gaining the right guidance from tutors until middle school. They acknowledge that this helped them garner adroitness in making sound financial decisions and bolster problem-solving abilities.
Similarly, although philosophy could initially seem to be quite boring for young learners, it can help inquisitive young minds to explore beyond their everyday experiences and expand their horizons, helping them learn about analysing any situation or event from a multitude of perspectives. Consequently, they can grasp the ability to differentiate right from wrong before taking sides on a particular subject matter. Moreover, they also gain an opportunity to become resourceful and cultivate finesse on thinking out of the box and find innovative solutions to complications facing them in personal, professional and social realms.
In conclusion, while mathematics and philosophy can be challenging for learners, shelving them will do more harm than good; this will deprive the young generation of learning about rational and prudent thinking processes. Instead schools should find ways to make these subjects interesting so that important life skills are not compromised.