Getting the right answer is emphasized, often to the exclusion of understanding the process. School Math texts often include unrealistic problems. Typical is the following. A real problem from a real math text. It makes me wonder.
Ambiguous situations are a second deficiency illustrated here.
Kids whose math experience is dependent on texts do real life math seldom - if and only if they complete an exhausting set of math text problems. Let's look at the evidence. Of those students who do graduate, a majority need cash register picture keys to add up purchases and make change. Sometimes, even the best math students, those who take the advanced math courses, forget how to accomplish basic tasks like calculating a percentage or cutting a recipe in half. When I speak to groups of adults, I sometimes ask how many fear or dislike math and how many consider themselves math-phobic or math illiterate.