What's wrong with Math Education?

"You can't teach that now, because then what am I going to teach next year!"

Ever heard this?  Ever said it?  Ever been a part of a conversation with this used?

I know I answered "Yes" to all three.  When curriculum is designed linearly, then we encounter such problems.  You have to know Y before I teach you X.  However, what if curriculum was designed around the questions student asked in class?

In two of my classes this year, I have eliminated "Units".  I can now demonstrate how math flows from one concept to another instead of teaching through 5 disjoint units, and no longer do I have to answer "You will learn that later"

Check out the clip below