brian mitchell writes
"'Mike'" wrote:


Evolution of British Mathematics Teaching


You learned what you needed to know to be functional in your world, the
young now learn what they need to be functional in theirs, because it's
no longer your world (or mine). Best, in my view, to spend the remaining
time enjoying what you find good rather than grumbling about what you
probably don't even comprehend.

A far greater proportion of the population and ability range are
expected to pass GCSE maths compared with O level. This is not 'dumbing
down', it is trying to increase the level of numeracy across the
population as a whole (why is it that people are ashamed to be
illiterate, but so many people have no shame whatever - even a little
pride - in being innumerate?)

Despite this, GCSE covers some concepts that weren't covered till a lot
later in 1970. But then, today's children do not have to spend ages
learning how to use tables of logarithms without understanding the
underlying principle of the logarithmic transformation or its
relationship to the natural world, not do they have to do basic
arithmetic in mixed bases, again without being given any understanding
of the concept.
--
Kay