Response - Richard Skemp's article

I stopped to think about the course of my education in mathematics, how I was taught, and my attitude toward the learning of the subject. Were they instrumental or relational ways of understanding? One of the things that struck me in the article were the clear analogies differentiating instrumental mathematics and relational mathematics. If we see mathematics in this light, the approaches to teaching and learning the subject would be revolutionized. I was also surprised by the fact that once concepts were learned relationally, these carry on a long-term, even organic(!) effect in the student's future learning. In conclusion, I believe that relational mathematics is far more beneficial to teachers and students alike than instrumental mathematics. We would love to grade a 100% exam but we would be doing learners more justice by instructing the ways to navigate and construct their mathematical knowledge.