Experts say parents need to step up and stop maths being treated as the ‘broccoli of school subjects’

Two passionate educators are fighting to restore the status of maths in the minds of Aussie students – and say it starts with these simple steps for parents.

Maths has long been the broccoli of school subjects – good for you, but not everyone’s favourite.

And just like broccoli, too many students are pushing it to the side of their plate.

Across Australia, only one in four students now take intermediate or advanced maths in years 11 and 12. Some skip it altogether.

That’s a big worry, not just for educators, but for all of us.

For the past two decades, maths participation has been sliding. Fewer students are tackling the tougher senior courses, and that means fewer future engineers, scientists and tech experts. But it’s not just about STEM careers. Maths builds skills that matter in every job and in everyday life.

So how do we get students back into maths classrooms?

Confidence is key

Students who feel confident in maths are far more likely to stick with it. But for many, it’s like missing shot after shot on the basketball court. A few misses? You try harder. Too many? You walk off for good.

That’s where parents come in. The way you talk about maths at home shapes how your child sees it. Saying “don’t worry, I wasn’t good at maths either” might feel comforting, but it can quietly give them permission to give up.

You don’t need to be a maths whiz to help. Ask questions, praise effort, and encourage persistence. Research shows that a parent’s attitude towards maths strongly influences their child’s. So even if you haven’t touched algebra in years, your support still counts.

Dr Bronwyn Reid O’Connor from the University of Sydney.

Dr Ben Zunica from the University of Sydney.

Making maths feel relevant

Then there’s the classic complaint: “I’m never going to use this in real life.” It’s a fair question and one that deserves a better answer than “just because”.

Whether you’re working in hospitality, medicine or the trades, maths is everywhere. It’s not about memorising formulas for the sake of it. Learning maths is like going to the gym. You might never do a bicep curl in real life, but you train those muscles so they’re ready when you need them. Maths trains your brain to spot patterns, solve problems, and think logically.

And no, you might never use Pythagoras’s theorem at the supermarket. But the habits of mind you build in maths class – breaking down problems, testing ideas, sticking with it when things get tough – those skills last a lifetime.

Think about it: a lawyer builds a case by weighing evidence and testing arguments. An electrician troubleshoots by narrowing down the cause of a fault. These are maths skills in action.

Maths might be the broccoli of school lessons – but parents need to start encouraging kids to enjoy their intellectual greens!

Changing the story

Maths isn’t just about numbers – it’s about thinking. And right now, we need to change the story we tell about it.

Australia’s future depends on a strong STEM workforce. In the decades ahead, we’ll need maths thinkers to tackle big challenges: slowing productivity, an ageing population, and a changing economy.

That work starts now, in our schools. If we want more students to choose maths, we need to build their confidence, show them why it matters, and celebrate the skills it gives them – whether they’re solving equations or just solving life’s everyday puzzles.

Dr Bronwyn Reid O’Connor is Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at the

University of Sydney and Dr Ben Zunica is Lecturer in Mathematics Education at the

University of Sydney and a former high school teacher of 19 years.

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Originally published as Experts say parents need to step up and stop maths being treated as the ‘broccoli of school subjects’