Highlight, discuss and reflect on the mathematics
curriculum, the organisation of learning, and the implications for you as
future teacher.
In my home country, the Philippines,
when people know you are good at Maths, you are considered genius. I still
remember that there would always be a class of genius in Maths from the 10
classrooms (having 40 students each) of each year level. I was always wondering
why these batchmates of mine could excel in Maths while the majority could not.
When, I graduated from college and started to have a job, I realised that I still
experience difficulty in dealing with numeracy especially on practical matters
like managing cash collections with my peer group or scaling a big picture to a
small one. Also, as I had the chance to engaged with different nationalities, I
realised that they managed to be quick on dealing with numeracy problems while
I automatically jokingly responded, “It’s Maths, I can’t”. That made me think
that their system of teaching Maths can be used not just academically but
practically.
We were more into memorisation than
into application. It is because “..Mathematics curricula in Asia are known to
emphasise mastery of mathematics content as expressed in official documents and
curriculum framework of these countries” (Vistro-Yu and Toh, 2019, p. 4). We
were into Mathematics “as a body of knowledge” (Pemberton, 2020, slide 14) than
into numeracy which is “the disposition to use, in context, a combination of:
underpinning mathematical concepts and skills from across the discipline
(numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical and algebraic): mathematical
thinking and strategies; general thinking skills; and grounded appreciation of
context” (The Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers [AAMT], 1997, p. 2).
I agree to the rationale of the NSW
Mathematics curriculum (2019) that studying mathematics should make students
“develop a positive self-concept as learners of mathematics, obtain enjoyment
from mathematics, and become self-motivated learners through inquiry and active
participation in challenging and engaging experiences” (NSW Education Standards
Authority [NESA], 2019, par. 6). As a pre-service teacher, to be able to
implement these to students, I must have the three domains of excellent
teaching: professional knowledge, attributes and practice (AAMT, 2006).
References
Australian
Association of Mathematics Teachers Inc. [AAMT]. (1997). Policy on numeracy
education in schools. Retrieved from http://www.aamt.edu.au
Australian
Association of Mathematics Teachers Inc. [AAMT]. (2006). Standards for
excellence in teaching mathematics in Australian schools. Retrieved from
http://www.aamt.edu.au
NSW
Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (2019). Rationale. [online document].
Retrieved from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/mathematics/mathematics-k-10/rationale
Pemberton,
M. (2020). EDFD262 lecture 1 [PowerPoint slide]. Retrieved from Australian
Catholic University website LEO: https://leo.acu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=2988969
Vistro-Yu
C.P., Toh T. L. (2019) School mathematics curricular reform: an Asian
experience. Singapore: Springer.
