THE
FIELDS INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
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FIELDS
MATHED FORUM MEETING AGENDA
THEME: Cultural
Differences in Ways of Doing (and Teaching) Mathematics
February 26, 2011 at 10AM – 2PM
Fields Institute, 222 College Street, Toronto
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MORNING PROGRAM:
10:00 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Reports: OAME, OMCA, OCMA, CMS, and other.
10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Cecilia Kutas (Lecturer, U of T Chemistry; Doctoral Student
OISE/UT): Math education in Hungary, K-4
Presentation
SHORT DESCRIPTION: A PowerPoint presentation will give an overview
of goals, pedagogies and classroom culture in K-4 math as practised
in Hungarian schools. Access will be provided to workbooks, text
books, teacher handbooks, and staple manipulatives (cuisenaire
rods and logic tiles) used by children in Hungary.
10:40 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Priscilla Bengo (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education,
OISE/UT): Doing mathematics from the Chinese and Tamil perspectives
SHORT DESCRIPTION: Newton (2007) for example, stressed the importance
of including cultural beliefs in efforts to improve math and science
education in the US. Newton argued that cultural beliefs about
mathematics and how it should be taught will have a great impact
on how reform efforts such as new curricula or teaching methods
"will work in practice"(p. 4). For instance, "in
contrast to the United States, some societies place greater emphasis
on effort than on ability"(p.4). Newton's advice should be
considered in Ontario, Canada as well. Ontario has recently undergone
mathematics reforms in elementary and secondary schools that focus
on teaching and learning in mathematics. This session shows the
ways that cultural beliefs about mathematics and how it should
be taught can shape what actually occurs in the classroom.
11:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Panel: Cultural differences in ways of doing (and teaching) mathematics.
Panellists: Abbas Bhatti, Induja Mahathantila, & Dagmar Musilova
(York University)
The panellists will describe their experiences from different levels
of schooling in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Czech Republic.
12 p.m. -1:00 p.m. LUNCH BREAK
(Light refreshments provided)
1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m.
Discussion
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