Food for thought
Lockhart's Lament
The main problem with school mathematics is that there are no problems. Oh, I know what
passes for problems in math classes, these insipid “exercises.” “Here is a type of problem. Here
is how to solve it. Yes it will be on the test. Do exercises 1-35 odd for homework.” What a sad
way to learn mathematics: to be a trained chimpanzee.
Read the Article here:
A teacher (or parent) for whom the right answer means everything is one who will naturally want to tell the child the most efficient way of getting that right answer. This creates mindlessness. Such a student, armed with algorithms, gets in the habit of looking to the adult, or the book, instead of thinking it through herself. She feels less autonomous, more dependent. Stuck in the middle of a problem, she doesn’t try to figure out what makes sense to do next; she tries to remember what she’s supposed to do next.[29] That, in a nutshell, is the legacy of traditional education.
[What works better than traditional instruction, by Alfie Kohn]
‘The most important thing for children to learn in mathematics in the primary school is how to learn mathematics’
(Derek Haylock ,2010)
The Myth of Learning Styles
Now I don’t want to do another piece on the evidence that learning styles do NOT exist but I do want to expose the reasons for their widespread belief. Surveys consistently show that the vast majority of teachers, trainers and lecturers believe in learning styles. Despite decades of research showing that the theories are bogus, the belief persists. It is so ubiquitous that it’s hard to attend an educational conference without hearing the phrase being repeatedly parroted. Seasoned campaigners shake their heads in disbelief every time they hear the term but it is so deep-rooted it seems to be impossible to shift. This is a real conundrum.
Sweet Valley Maths
