A Primary School Curriculum to Foster Thinking About Mathematics

Abstract

Introduction:  Since the Fall of 1993, at the Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur l'Apprentissage et le Développement en Éducation (CIRADE) of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), two mathematicians (Louise Lafortunate and Richard Pallascio) and one philosopher (Marie-France Daniel) have collaborated to design and develop a research project involving philosophy, mathematics and sciences.  Previous observations in the classroom had led the researchers to realize that, within the school curriculum, children like some subject matters and dislike others.  Most of them usually succeed in arts, physical education and language arts, but many have difficulties in succeeding in mathematics.  Why?  On the one hand, as Matthew Lipman advocates, the school curricula are not sufficiently "meaningful" for children (1980;1988).  On the other hand, some studies in the field of mathematics suggest that there are myths and prejudices about mathematics in primary schools and that the school system is partly responsible for this.  Indeed, the school system does not invite children to express emotions in class about mathematics nor does it favor creativity.  It does not allow dialogue among peers about mathematical concepts and problems, nor the construction of mathematical knowledge by the students themselves (Lafortunate, 1992).