What I'd love to see in math education is not dumbing down. Although finding a way to make people enthusiastic at first is important. I like math because I liked math. If people don't have pleasure then education fails. But here's my point I want teachers to state clearly what is to understand. "working hard" doesn't cut it for me. Give me a few 'really hard' exercise that will require my brain to change fundamentally then leave me on it. Affirm patience is key, that one WILL understand after looking at this elusive idea. Because that's why odd concepts are odd, they don't fit in our brain patterns, and thus it takes time to reconnect the dots.