Battleground Schools: Mathematics Education
In the article battleground schools there were two differing schools of thought concerning how mathematics should be taught and approximately three different eras of reform that were considered. The two differing schools of thought are considered conservative and progressive. The conservatives prefer a more teacher directed model of math education while the progressivists prefer a teacher as guide and facilitator model. Each of the eras, 1910-1940 Progressivist, 1960's New Math, and 1990"s Math Wars, seems to favour one approach to the exclusion of the other.
What I noticed as I was reading this article was how driven by societies needs are our math classrooms. Math is not necessarily considered a subject to be taught simply for the pleasure that it can bring. It comes across more as a means to an end. We teach math so that our students can be productive members of society, be that members of an independent thinking democratic society, or a highly scientific, space race populace. Math is to be taught for the purpose of preparing kids for the "real world". To me this indicates that we expect all students to leave school and be the top performers in whatever field of study they happen to get into and if they aren't then we have somehow failed them.. What we fail to realize is that not all students are going to be Einsteins. For me it brings to mind the question, "why do we teach math?" I think we should be teaching math for math's sake. It is a disipline full of interesting things that can be explored simply for the fun of it. Yes, it absolutely has value in the high level careers like engineering and should be pursued for that reason as well. However not all of our students are going to be engineers and to teach all of them as if they will be is doing a disservice to our kids. If we can instill in the students, maybe not a love for, but an appreciation for the complexities and intricacies of mathematics then I believe we will have done our job.
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