Why Students and Teachers Deserve Better Than McGraw-Hill Math Textbooks
Let’s start with a confession: math is hard. Not because numbers are inherently cruel, but because the tools we use to learn them often make the journey feel like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops. Enter McGraw-Hill’s math textbooks—a staple in classrooms for decades and a source of frustration for countless students and educators. From confusing explanations to robotic problem sets, these books have become a symbol of outdated educational practices. Let’s unpack why so many people—myself included—have a visceral reaction to these texts and explore what better alternatives might look like.
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The Soul-Crushing Repetition Problem
Open any McGraw-Hill math book, and you’ll find pages crammed with near-identical exercises. While repetition can reinforce concepts, these textbooks take it to absurd levels. A single lesson might include 30 variations of “Solve for x” with only minor tweaks to coefficients or wording. This isn’t learning; it’s mindless busywork. Students quickly zone out, and teachers waste hours grading identical problems.
Worse, this approach fails to address why repetition matters. Math isn’t about memorizing steps—it’s about understanding patterns, building problem-solving skills, and applying logic. By reducing lessons to robotic drills, McGraw-Hill’s materials strip away the creativity and critical thinking that make math engaging.
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Jargon Overload and Confusing Explanations
Ever read a math textbook explanation and thought, “Wait, what?” McGraw-Hill’s books are notorious for using overly technical language that alienates learners. For example, a lesson on linear equations might bury the core idea under terms like “coefficient matrices” or “Cartesian planes” without first grounding students in basics. This creates unnecessary barriers, especially for visual learners or those who thrive on real-world context.
Teachers often have to “translate” these explanations into something digestible. One high school instructor shared, “I spend half my planning time rewriting sections of the book just so my kids can follow along. Why isn’t the textbook doing its job?”
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Real-World Relevance? Missing in Action
Math becomes meaningful when students see how it applies to their lives. Want to calculate the best cell phone plan? Budget for a car? Understand probability in sports? Too bad. McGraw-Hill’s problems often revolve around generic scenarios like “Two trains leave a station…” or “A farmer has 100 feet of fencing…” These outdated examples feel disconnected from modern life.
A 10th grader put it bluntly: “Why do I care about train speeds from the 1950s? Show me how to analyze TikTok engagement trends or budget for college instead.” When textbooks ignore students’ lived experiences, they reinforce the idea that math is irrelevant—a dangerous message in a data-driven world.
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The Design Disaster
Let’s talk aesthetics. McGraw-Hill’s books are stuck in a time warp, with cramped layouts, tiny fonts, and a color palette that screams “1980s office paperwork.” Visual design matters: cluttered pages overwhelm learners, while poor organization makes it hard to navigate between lessons. Compare this to modern resources like Khan Academy or IXL, which use clean designs, interactive elements, and spaced repetition to keep users engaged.
Even the diagrams—arguably a math book’s most valuable tool—are often poorly rendered. Graphs lack labels, geometric shapes are distorted, and critical steps in example problems get cut off. “It’s like they didn’t even proofread the visuals,” complained a middle school math coach.
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Teachers Aren’t Fans, Either
While students bear the brunt of these frustrations, teachers are equally fed up. McGraw-Hill’s rigid pacing guides and scripted lesson plans leave little room for flexibility. A 7th grade teacher explained: “The curriculum assumes every class learns at the same speed. If my students need extra time on fractions, I either have to skip chapters or work weekends to adjust everything.”
Professional development materials also fall short. Many educators report that training sessions focus on “how to use the textbook” rather than “how to teach math effectively.” This undermines teachers’ expertise and limits their ability to innovate.
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What Better Math Education Looks Like
So, if McGraw-Hill’s books are the problem, what’s the solution? Here’s the good news: alternatives exist, and they’re gaining traction.
1. Project-Based Learning (PBL):
Schools are ditching textbooks for hands-on projects. Imagine students designing a tiny house (geometry), analyzing climate data (statistics), or coding video games (algebra). PBL makes math tangible and fosters collaboration.
2. Open Educational Resources (OERs):
Platforms like OpenStax and Illustrative Mathematics offer free, adaptable curricula written by educators—not corporate committees. These materials prioritize clarity, inclusivity, and real-world connections.
3. Tech-Driven Tools:
Apps like Desmos and GeoGebra let students explore concepts interactively. Meanwhile, AI tutors like Khanmigo provide personalized support, adapting to each learner’s pace.
4. Culturally Responsive Content:
New curricula, such as Eureka Math Squared, weave diverse perspectives into lessons. Students might study the geometry of Indigenous art or analyze wealth inequality through data—topics that resonate personally and socially.
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The Takeaway: Demand Better
Hating McGraw-Hill’s math books isn’t about complaining—it’s about recognizing that students deserve better. Outdated materials hold back learners, frustrate teachers, and perpetuate inequities. The push for change is already happening: districts from California to New York are adopting innovative curricula, and parent advocacy groups are demanding transparency in textbook selection.
If you’re stuck with these books, don’t despair. Supplement with free online resources, advocate for updated materials, and remember: math is a powerful, beautiful tool. Let’s teach it that way.
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