Romania took hold of my heart in 2015 and since then has consumed my mind and soul. As with any genuine commitment, my relationship with this beautiful, complex country has grown and deepened over time as I have learned of its many tragedies, as well as its many triumphs. I have surrendered myself to Romania. [...] As I continue my Romanian journey, I marvel over the resiliency and fortitude of the people. I am fortunate to have developed close relationships, familial in many ways, with many Romanians. And I am eternally grateful to have been granted a Fulbright and honored to become part of this amazing community.
How useful is the mathematics learned in school?
On May 15, 2025, Dr. Maria Trache—Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, and Fulbright Scholar at Transilvania University of Brașov —presented a workshop at the Ovidius University of Constanța entitled “There is life after school: How useful is the mathematics learned in school?”. The workshop was organized in collaboration with Prof. Daniela Căprioara from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Studies, as part of the events specific to the International Conference Contemporary Perspectives in Psychology, Education and Social Work held in May 2025 at the Ovidius University. The workshop attracted undergraduate and graduate students, as well as teachers from Constanța schools, interested in mathematics education research, policy and practice.
The workshop engaged the audience in a discussion about the usefulness of mathematics for individuals’ professional and/or personal lives, and for society as a whole. The focus was on the utility of mathematics and the development of mathematical mindsets on one side, and students’ anxiety and reservation toward math on the other side. Participants provided keywords that resonate with mathematics, like structure, order, confidence, consistency, strategy, etc. and recognized the relevance for their own lives. The workshop addressed questions like: If we agree that mathematics provides the vital foundation of the knowledge economy and that modern technology would be unthinkable without mathematics, why are not youth equally attracted by the mathematics discipline? Why are we scared to get involved with this discipline? What can we do to make mathematics more friendly and accessible? The audience was asked to reflect on their own experiences with math in school and postsecondary education. Research evidence based on OECD PISA data for Romania was included in the presentation. Participants also offered their perspectives on effective math classroom practices. The workshop concluded with quotes from two great mathematical minds: “Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas” (Albert Einstein); and “All that is correct thinking is mathematics” (Grigore Moisil).