Investigation in the teaching of elementary mathematics from the standpoint of choice and arrangement of subject matter

Abstract

To one engaged in the teaching profession, or even to a laymen who has come into contact with the educational system of the present time, it is scarcely necessary to present evidences of dissatisfaction regarding the results of the instruction of our schools. In fact, this element of dissatisfaction is characteristic of the present educational situation. It shows itself in many forms, many, if not all, recent innovations being traced to this source. Although this dissatisfaction extends to all subjects of the curriculum, and perhaps is justified in all of them, it is nowhere more acute than in mathematics. Centered as it now is largely around arithmetic and secondary mathematics it is beginning to extend to the college work. It is proposed in this paper to investigate the cause or causes of this dissatisfaction with respect to elementary mathematics and to offer a solution of the difficultly based upon certain well accepted educational principals.