I think there is an issue about the way maths is taught- I feel some people are taught a method when they really need to understand what they are doing.
For example pupils can solve 2x=6 but ask them to solve 6x = 2 and they suddenly have no idea. Or ask them to add 1/2 and 1/4 and they can do it because they can picture clock faces, chocolate bars or pizzas, but ask them to add 1/6 and 1/6 and they try to remember some rule about denominators and numerators and end up getting it wrong.
But another issue I don't understand is that for some reason being "rubbish at maths" is seen a something to joke or boast about - and I think that message gets passed on to students from parents.
And if anyone thinks most school students are sitting there keen to learn in the classroom then they haven't been in the schools I've been in. There is an issue with attitude to learning. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
Some say that Maths as taught isn't relevant, and for many people that's true. Most will never need to work out the volume of a prism. But attempts to make it more meaningful by looking at how to work out electricity bills or calculate how many rolls of wallpaper are needed or how to choose the best mobile phone contract don't work either as pupils generally see these as irrelevant to them.
Sorry, mk1975- this is prompted by the comments of others and is not a response or comment on your question.