Why are We So Illiterate in Mathematics?

I think that there are two main reasons that Americans aren't that good with math:

The first is because in general we haven't been taught to love math. In elementary school, we have one teacher for every subject, and in my experience, the teachers weren't very enthusiastic about math. They were more interested in writing and creativity. Their disinterest in math rubbed off on us, and made a lot of us dislike math. In addition to that, the textbooks we were working in tended to only teach us the very basics, and not have any problems that required us to think hard. To me, something is more fun if I actually have to use my brain to do it. I think that if there were more teachers that were enthusiastic about math, like at the Academy, American kids would be taught to love math, and by extension, become better at it. 

My other idea is that technology allows us to become more lazy. We no longer have to think to find the answer to 12 times 11, we can just punch it into our calculator. In addition to using technology as tools, we have access to information instantaneously, which could make it very easy to cheat. And if you cheat, you're not really learning. A common stereotype is that Americans are lazy, and I think that if we have access to these tools, we will use them. We will begin to think less and less and understand less and less math.

In response to Ms. Mariner's blog post:

 I think that this blog is about how somebody's perspective on something can change. In this example, you didn't appreciate the roses and thought that they would die, but after trying to trim them you discovered that you could tend for a plant without it dying. Your perspective on peaches also changed. You went from hating them to loving them. This can be applied to almost any situation in life, including math. If you let yourself try something new you may find a new passion and really discover that you love it. Your whole perspective can change. 

I have actually experienced this with math. I hated math in elementary school because it was so boring, but during 7th grade, my perspective changed because I started having fun. Now, while I don't love math, I also don't hate it.