Why has math changed?
The math we teach is still the same math that was previously taught. How students are learning is different.
Math teaching has evolved. How we teach better reflects newer brain-based research about the way children developmentally learn.
Providing better learning opportunities for all, not some.
Preparing our children better for the future.
“As we learn more about how kids learn, and specifically how people best learn mathematics, we adjust how we teach to match.”
How has math changed?
The Future of Jobs report from 2016 found that 65% of children entering primary schools today will ultimately work in new job types and functions that currently don’t yet exist. In the Future of Jobs report from 2018, the World Economic Forum predicted that by 2022, “human” skills such as “creativity, originality, initiative, critical thinking, persuasion, and negotiation” will remain crucial or even increase in demand.
No longer is math thought of as an isolated subject, but rather an “interdisciplinary subject” that focuses on:
Reasoning and critical thinking - word problems
Communication skills - being able to talk with a partner or teacher about the math
Creative thinking - multiple strategies to solve problems
Perseverance - normalizing struggle
“The way we learned math would not set up our students today for the skills necessary to persevere, problem-solve, and reason in their future.”