schools manage to fuck up most enthusiasm for learning, as far as i can see, even more so since the introduction of the national curriculum here.
but ilove teaching maths - well, the number stuff, mostly - and i think i transmit that to the kids, as my enthusiasm is from my own love of it, and i can usually think of interesting ways to get them to understand it. place value and fractions are particular favourites, cos i get them all singing stuff to learn it, involving falling out of bed, and bottoms (never fails).