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Re: Intro to Number; counting and all that
Posted:
Nov 16, 1995 8:56 AM
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>I am very concerned about elementary mathematics. WHAT CAN WE DO TO
>CHANGE THE CURRENT SITUATION? HOW CAN EXPERIENCES BE PROVIDED SO THAT
>TEACHERS FEEL COMPETENT AND EXCITED ABOUT TEACHING MATHEMATICS?
>
>David K. Pugalee, Saginaw Valley State University
Hi David;
The solution to this problem is actually quite simple. Colleges and
Universityes MUST provide credit courses for in-service teachers that allow
them to LEARN the mathematics that they need.
Last time I asked about this most people had many reasons why this cannot
be done, but until it is, the quality of mathematics education in the
elementary school will remain unpredictable, with pockets of highly
mathematical elementary teachers and pockets of non-mathmatical teachers.
Elementary school is an inappropriate place for departmentalizing
mathmatics or any other curriculum. So that is not a solution.
Again, I feel strongly that until the coursework with credit is available
we are basically powerless to correct this situation across the board. None
of the teachers in my building would resist taking courses that had credits
attached to them, but conversely, very few are willing to take course work
that does not.
Those of you in power in higher education institutions please, please,
please, address this issue in your college or university. The fate of
math education for young children in our nation depends on it. :-)
Eileen
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Eileen Abrahamson "All our knowledge has its origins
Fourth Grade Teachers in our perceptions."
Edw. Neill Elemetary Leonardo da Vinci
Burnsville, MN
E-Mail:0191enel@informns.k12.mn.us
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