Week 1

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.