Following our previous Erasmus+ project Seeds of Tellers, which highlighted the educational potential of oral storytelling, we wanted to explore what stories can bring to mathematics learning. This connection between maths and storytelling served three main objectives: First, to change students’ perception of mathematics and make it a living practice. Like a story’s hero, the student is encouraged to explore, try different paths, accept mistakes as part of the process and persevere. Second, to help students and their teachers develop key competences in mathematics. Listening to, understanding or telling a story helps build, organize and express mental representations. Finally, to support the understanding of mathematical concepts in a concrete and imaginative way. Through this approach, we aimed to reduce inequalities in learning by making mathematics more accessible to all students, from early childhood to secondary education, regardless of gender or learning profile.
Myths & Maths was born from a concerning observation. According to the PISA 2022 survey, 30% of students in the EU struggle with mathematics, far from the target of 15% set by the European Commission for 2030. 40% of students report feeling nervous, helpless or anxious when faced with problem-solving or homework. These difficulties are not only linked to the content itself, but also to the way students perceive mathematics. Often reduced to formulas to be applied, where mistakes are immediately penalised, the subject appears abstract, rigid and reserved for a few supposedly more gifted students. Yet doing mathematics first means exploring, imagining, trying, making mistakes and explaining. This is where Myths & Maths comes in, offering a new approach based on tools drawn from the oral tradition (tales, rhymes, riddles, etc.), as storytelling and doing mathematics mobilise shared cognitive, linguistic and social skills. By connecting storytelling, orality and mental imagery, the project renews the approach to mathematics and responds to teachers’ need for innovative resources and methods to support students in their learning, while also promoting Europe’s oral heritage.