The Importance Of Mathematics In Education

Education is viewed as highly important in almost all countries. However, the educational systems, subjects of focus, and teaching styles in each country vary greatly. One subject that has been highlighted in various countries is mathematics. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) consisted of a video study (1999) and the TIMSS test (2003). The purpose of this study was to compare the way mathematics was completed and the achievement levels in several countries. The study showed distinct differences in the way mathematics was taught in classrooms in the United States vs. Japan. These differences could be seen in the teacher’s beliefs about mathematics, types of questions asked, and the complexity of problems given to student’s.

It is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence…mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri, 2006, p.2).

Mathematics has become a very large part of society today. From the moment children learn the basic principles of math to the day those children become working members of society, everyone has used mathematics at one point in their life. The crucial time for learning mathematics is during the childhood years when the concepts and principles of mathematics can be processed more easily. However, this time in life is also when the point in a person’s life where information has to be broken down to the very basics, as children don’t have an advanced capacity to understand as adults do. Mathematics, an essential subject, must be taught in such a way that children can understand and remember.

The Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution declares that the states have the authority in handling educational standards (Boslaugh, 2015). Each state can come up with their own requirements and rules for their educational systems. For many years, this system seemed to work and showed good results. The United States had one of the best educational systems throughout the world.

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices made up a set of educational standards called the Common Core State Standards in Suwanee, GA which dealt with math and english-language arts for grades k-12. They were “developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders including content experts, states, teachers, school administrators and parents. The standards establish clear and consistent goals for learning that will prepare America’s children for success in college and work”. They tell what the students need to learn, but aren’t there to show the teachers how to teach. The process took nearly a year, with people leading it from almost all 50 states, and even in different countries.

[F]or more than a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have concluded that mathematics education in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on this promise, the mathematics standards are designed to address the problem of a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

Geometry and Algebra are so crucial to the development of the world it is taught to every public high school in the United States, around 14.8 million teenagers each year (National Center for Education Statistics). Mathematics is the engine powering our world; our stocks, economy, technology, and science are all based off from math. Math is our universal and definite language “I was especially delighted with the mathematics, on account of the certitude and evidence of their reasonings.” (Rene Descartes, 1637).

Their 2000 publication, the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, is still prevalent. This document, setting forth ten guidelines for improving math education, refined, extended, and replaced NCTM’s earlier recommendations. Not only does the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics address five important content areas, it also establishes five important mathematical processes deemed necessary in quality education, like problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, representation, and connections. When it comes to making connections, NCTM further asserts that instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students

Education standards outline expectations for what students should know student at the close of a course, or grade level. States have been setting standards since the early 1980’s. By 2001, after the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, all 50 states began adopting standards. The push to adopt standards-based education was the idea that student achievement could be increased by setting specific goals and that all students deserved the chance to learn skills to be successful citizens and viable employees. Each state was responsible for creating its own list of standards. This process would soon change with the implementation of the Common Core State Standard initiative.

America has been experiencing problems with math in education. Internationally we are not doing very well in math. This is not good for us as a country because math is an important part of our country’s growth. One reason for our failures in mathematics is because of the inadequate teachings of math in school. Some reasons why Americans are not good in math is because we teach memorization, teaching to the test, and teaching only the procedure.

countries of the world. National standards in math, science, and history have all been published, and have influenced many different states, and their schools, to change and somewhat conform curriculum. These standards are designed to promote the improvement of school standards, make school districts more equal, and make it easier to see where we are as a country in regards to education of young people. Some, however, feel that these national standards, though voluntary, may bring schools which are already thriving down to the minimum level suggested. They also fear that these standards will allow local governments to become lazy in funding and in concern for the schools. Regardless

In today’s society mathematics is a vital part of day-to-day life. No matter what a person is doing at home or at the workplace, he/she is constantly using different mathematics skills to simply function. Then what does this mean for mathematics education? When someone needs to utilize a skill every day then he/she needs a strong background in the skill. Therefore, today’s students need more than a just a working knowledge of mathematics or enough knowledge to pass a test. Today’s students need to understand how mathematics works and how to utilize mathematics skills in the best way possible.

Maths is ubiquitous in our lives, but depending on the learning received as a child it could inspire or frighten. If a child has a negative experience in mathematics, that experience has the ability to affect his/her attitude toward mathematics as an adult. Solso (2009) explains that math has the ability to confuse, frighten, and frustrate learners of all ages; Math also has the ability to inspire, encourage and achieve. Almost all daily activities include some form of mathematical procedure, whether people are aware of it or not. Possessing a solid learning foundation for math is vital to ensure a lifelong understanding of math. This essay will discuss why it is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence (Anghileri, 2006, p. 2) and why mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri).

Mathematics, like every creation of man, have evolved without really knowing how far you can get with them: the scope of the computer, physics, chemistry, algebra, all are evidence of this. Every aspect of our culture is based in some way or another in Mathematics: language, music, dance, art, sculpture, architecture, biology, daily life. All these areas of measurements and calculations are accurate. Even in nature, everything follows a precise pattern and a precise order: a flower, a shell, a butterfly, day and night, the seasons. All this makes mathematics essential for human life and they can not be limited only to a matter within the school curriculum; here lies the importance of teaching math in a pleasure, enjoyable and understandable way. Mathematics is an aid to the development of the child and should be seen as an aid to life and not as an obstacle in their lifes.

Mathematics is the one of the most important subjects in our daily life and in most human activities the knowledge of mathematics is important. In the rapidly changing world and in the era of technology, mathematics plays an essential role. To understand the mechanized world and match with the newly developing information technology knowledge in mathematics is vital. Mathematics is the mother of all sciences. Without the knowledge of mathematics, nothing is possible in the world. The world cannot progress without mathematics. Mathematics fulfills most of the human needs related to diverse aspects of everyday life. Mathematics has been accepted as significant element of formal education from ancient period to the present day. Mathematics has a very important role in the classroom not only because of the relevance of the syllabus material, but because of the reasoning processes the student can develop.