Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T19:03:09.490Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Tales from the Mathematical Classroom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

Sue Sanders
Sue Sanders*
Affiliation:
University of Wales Swansea, Dept of Education, Hendrefoelan, Swansea SA2 7NB
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players.

As You Like It

During this lecture I am working from the premise that all the world is a mathematical classroom. By the time children begin formal education they have spent up to five years in this classroom [1] and during their years of schooling the fraction of time spent in a formal classroom is minimal compared to the time spent out of it. I wish to argue that this broader definition of a classroom impacts in many strong ways on our conceptions of mathematics and helps to construct the misconceptions about the nature of the subject that impinge on the learning of mathematics and the value which we place on it. It is within the formal classroom that many of the misconceptions about mathematical knowledge and skills develop. Although a great deal of writing exists about these, and while teachers use this knowledge to inform their teaching I wish to place more emphasis on the less familiar conceptions and misconceptions of mathematics. I will be challenging you to examine your own conceptions by showing you examples from television, radio, advertising, newspapers, film and literature. I will ask you to reflect on how a consideration of these aspects of pupils' experiences of mathematics might affect our teaching. I am also going to ask you to think about whether influencing young people's conceptions of mathematics might affect their decisions as to stop or continue studying the subject.

Type
Articles
Information
The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 87 , Issue 508 , March 2003 , pp. 3 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Aubrey, C., ‘Children’s early learning of number in school and out in’ Thompson, I. (ed) Teaching and learning early number Buckingham: Open University Press (1997).Google Scholar
2. Sanders, S.E., To know the place for the first time. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis Cardiff: University of Wales Cardiff (1998).Google Scholar
3. Ernest, P., ‘The Philosophy of Mathematics and Mathematical Education’ in The International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 16 (5) pp. 603–612 (1985).Google Scholar
4. Ernest, P., The Philosophy of Mathematics Education. Brighton: The Falmer Press (1991).Google Scholar
5. Hilbert, D., ‘Uber das Unendliche’ in Mathematische Annalen 95 (1926) translated in Benacerraf, P. and Putnam, H. Philosophy of Mathematics: Selected Readings, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall (1964).Google Scholar
6. Kleiner, I., ‘Famous Problems in Mathematics: an Outline of a Course’ in For the Learning of Mathematics 6 (1) pp. 31–38 (1986).Google Scholar
7. Davis, P. and Hersh, R., The Mathematical Experience, Boston: Birkhäuser (1981).Google Scholar
8. Steiner, H. G., ‘Philosophical and Epistomological Aspects of Mathematics and their Interaction with Theory and Practice in Mathematics Education’ in For the Learning of Mathematics 7 (1) pp. 7–13 (1987).Google Scholar
9. Jones, S., Sanders, S.E. and Tanner, H., Choosing a mathematics degree, unpublished report to the TTA (1999).Google Scholar
10. Seaman, W. A. L. and Sewell, J. R. (eds), The Russian Diary of Lady Londonderry, Murray, John, entry for 29th December 1836 (1973).Google Scholar
11. Hogben, L., The Wonderful World of Mathematics (originally published as Man must Measure) Macdonald (1968).Google Scholar
12. Pickover, C. A., Wonders of Numbers, Oxford University Press (2001).Google Scholar
13. Sanders, S. E. and Morris, H. J., ‘Exposing student teachers’ content knowledge: empowerment or debilitation?’ Educational Studies 26 (4) pp. 397–408 (2000a).Google Scholar
14. Sanders, S. E., ‘Staying Power’ Times Educational Supplement: Curriculum Extra, 21st September 2001.Google Scholar
15. Sanders, S. E., ‘Ready for anything’ Times Educational Supplement: Curriculum Extra, 18th January 2002.Google Scholar