Small children are required to learn them whether or not they understand what multiplication is and sometimes before they are secure in counting. If you try to push it too far or too fast, you will cause failure and frustration.Īn awful example of this is the obsession with learning multiplication tables as early as possible. It takes time, patience and practice for this activity to connect to the abstractions of formal arithmetic. The concept of number arises from activity in the real world. They know that abstract ideas about the world develop as a result of play and experiment and that it is vital to allow children time to do this. ![]() Sometimes the algorithm itself is actually wrong.Ī feature of poor primary school teaching is a tendency to teach formal written procedures far too early.Īll teachers learn about Piaget’s research and that children’s brains work differently to adults. There is no attempt to foster understanding because the teacher often doesn't understand the principles that lie behind the algorithm in the first place. The result is an emphasis on algorithms - do this, do that and there's the answer - also known as ' tricks for ticks'. If they decide to teach, they are more likely to opt for secondary than primary teaching. Young people who are good at maths are more likely to go into numerate professions such as science, engineering or accountancy. It is also easy to see how this situation comes about. They may be able to get some help if their school has a good maths coordinator, but mostly they are out of their depth and no-one seems to care. They are under pressure to get results (for example, as laid down by the UK National Curriculum) so that their school does not suffer in league tables. I have much sympathy for the teachers that I am criticising. They learn that they are no good at maths. Sadly, many children are completely turned off the subject. Despite this weakness, they are responsible for introducing children to the subject and so they play a crucial role in forming understanding of maths and attitudes towards it. While there are pockets of excellence to be found, most primary school teachers have a weak understanding of maths themselves, particularly arithmetic. One of the main causes of poor number skills is the standard of maths teaching in primary / elementary schools.
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