Mary (the teacher): When do you think kids are old enough to learn about Pi?

Tom (the politician): What?!? Wait!……When will it be on the test? Isn’t that what matters? Besides, isn’t it in the math textbook? Just teach it when it is in the textbook, and I’m sure that is the right time.

Mary: I want the kids to be interested in Pi as an important mathematical constant. Do you know how you get kids motivated to be interested in numbers?

Tom: Well, that is ridiculous. People are only truly motivated by unmet needs. Take air as an example. No one is motivated by air unless it is being sucked out of the room. Standardized tests are like air. You need them to do well in school and be a success in life. That is what motivates learning.

Mary: I think there is a way to get kids interested in Pi.

Tom: Good luck with that!! My advice: Stick to the textbook and pay attention to what is on the test. How hard is that? No wonder you decided to be a teacher, you can’t even understand the simplest concepts about how to navigate a problem. It is no wonder that none of your kids are on the track to Harvard.

Mary: There is more to learning and being educated than going to Harvard.

Tom: HA! What do you know? The Harvard track is how we judge people in this country. Haven’t you ever heard about competition and meritocracy? I went to Harvard because I learned from textbooks, and then I did really well on the tests…………sniff, sniff….hmmmm…….What is that wonderful smell?

Mary: It is some delicious apple pie that my fifth graders made on big round pie plates this morning.

Tom: May I have a piece? I am really hungry.

Mary: Of course! Ask one of the kids. Because you went to Harvard, I am sure you will have no problem passing their test. They are giving away free pieces of delicious apple pie to anyone who can explain that Pi has something to do with measuring a circle. They will give you an extra big slice if you say anything about fractions or decimals. If you can name the first ten numbers in Pi, they will give you ice cream. If you can tell them why March 14 is Pi Day, they will give you an entire pie to take home.