Disagree. Kids disengage from math for many different reasons. There is no single pattern to it. If it were that simple, it would not have remained an issue since schools were commonplace.<p>Minsky solidly makes the point that when math is taught as nothing more than an endless series of tedious drills with no purpose in sight, of course it demotivates kids. No one likes pointless Sisyphean tasks.<p>Many students, however, &quot;rediscover&quot; math when they get to their first class that involves theorems and proofs (often in high-school geometry) and when it starts being used in science coursework. It is then that they realize that math is a way of thinking and this can transform their opinion and motivation for math.<p>The best teachers find ways to relate mathematics to real life and real purpose. Yeah, it is always going to be challenging, but having a purpose creates motivation to get through the tedium.