Friday, September 15, 2006

Report Urges Changes in the Teaching of Math in U.S. Schools
New York Times, September 13, 2006


(excerpt) At a time when most states call for dozens of math topics to be addressed in each grade, the new report sets forth just three basic skills for each level. In fourth grade, for example, the report recommends that the curriculum should center on the “quick recall” of multiplication and division, the area of two-dimensional shapes and an understanding of decimals. It stopped short of a call for memorization of basic math facts.

The 1989 report is widely seen as an important factor nudging the nation away from rote learning and toward a constructivist approach playing down memorization in favor of having children find their own approaches to problems, and write about their reasoning.


Click post title ("Report Urges Changes...") for full article (one-time NYT registration required).
NCTM report here.

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