Learning to use an abacus qualifies as a Big Pointless Goal, something that Gloria Liu describes in her recent article in the Atlantic as “an aspiration that lacks grand purpose, yet requires ...

I recently read, with great interest, several articles on “Common Core” math. Another attempt to try and improve math skills in a country that does so poorly compared to other countries in the world.

Many teachers still rely on this centuries-old calculating device to provide a hands-on approach to math. For this series, we've been thinking a lot about some of the iconic objects that some of us ...