One problem is that math instruction is often too isolated and doesn't offer examples for using the skills in the 'real world.' Practical applications get learners involved with a subject and often lead to the development of new problem solving strategies. Another issue is that american math educators are always trying to discover the 'magic bullet' for math instruction- should it be skills based? Should it be problem solving? The answer is that we need to use a mixture of approaches that can appeal to the varied learning styles of the students. There is no one answer- what might work for one student may not make any sense to another. That is why have always tried to use a variety of resources when teaching- from songs and poems and stories about math (like the ones I found here:
http://mathstory.com), to practical applications, to working problems on paper alone.