Abstract:
Goals of Mathematics Education
What are the main goals of mathematics education in schools? Simply
stated, there is one main goal-the math ematization of the child's thought
processes. In the words of David Wheeler, it is 66 more useful to know how
to mathematize than to know a lot of mathematics" 1.
According to George polya, we can think of two kinds of aims for
school education : a good and narrow aim, that of turning out employable
adults who (eventautly) contribute to social and economic development;
and a higher aim, that of developing the inner resources of the growing
child. With regard to school mathematics, the former aim specifically
relates to numeracy.
What about the higher aim? He developing a Childs' inner resources.
the role that mathematics plays is mostly about thinking clarity of thought
and pursuing assumptions to logical conclusions is central to the
mathematical enterprise. There are many ways of thinking, and the kind
of thinking one learns in mathematics is an ability to handle abstractions.
