Thinking Freely Volume 2 Issue 4
Competency and Beyond
Opinion leaders say that if we are to compete in the international market and continue to spur innovation, we must assure that our students become competent in math and science. Our ability to innovate and provide for our own technological needs has historically been heavily influenced by the math and science community. To continue, we must develop strong mathematically focused students. Competency is not enough. We must go beyond students' ability to calculate and perform basic mathematical operations. We must train students, whether children or adults, to "think" mathematically. Our programs must reduce math phobia, develop a solid understanding of mathematics, and focus intently on developing critical thinking skills. We must prepare our teachers to deliver a higher level of instruction to successfully develop critical thinking skills.
Factual based questions will lead to competency, but teachers must be trained to pose and handle responses from math questions that show, among other things, the ability:
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to organize factual material
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to recognize patterns and extrapolate from them
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to arrive at logical generalizations
When we reach this level of math preparation we will be well on our way to producing a truly competitive workforce.
