How maths is taught across the world

How maths is taught across the world by Kim Craig

People believe that all around the world maths is the same, it is taught the exact same way in every school in every country. Although the end result of teaching and doing maths is exactly the same everywhere, small differences in how it’s taught shapes who we are and how maths affects our lives. Plus, it also affects how we feel about the subject itself.

1.Britain
In recent years it has come to the attention of the government that 17 million adults – nearly half the working population – have the maths skills of a child at primary school. The reason for this is because in Britain, everyone a lot more laid back about career choices compared to countries in eastern civilisations, as we live in a country in which unemployment is a lot smaller and people have the freedom to have creative a non- academic career, and not take maths as seriously.

2. U.S.A
As the U.S. is such a big place, the way mathematics is taught considerably varies from state to state, and sometimes the way it is taught often varies within states as well. In America, children start school at 6 and go to Kindergarten for 2 years, compared to 1 in the U.K. Maths homework in other countries may consist of math problems that students work through, as opposed to the United States, where homework is heavy on reading about math topics in a textbook, in addition to this Math teachers in these countries have college or graduate degrees in the topic. Whereas, most American students learn maths and science from teachers without degrees or certification in these topics.

3. India
In 2009, 5,980 students graduated with a degree maths in the UK, that’s 0.009% of the population. Last year 0.05% of the population graduated with degrees in science and maths. So what makes it so enticing, or are students seriously encouraged to go down that path by peers? Like I mentioned before, India is one of the countries that have homework consisting of maths problems. Careers in Maths in India are well paid, however, for many people it’s not what they want to do, it’s what their parents want them to do.

4. South America
The approach in South America, like the U.S.A, is very theoretical in even during the early years. For example in a sixth grade class in Paraguay, they learn the definition of something, but do not learn the way of solving the problem. The teacher then continues to solve the problem and the student copies down the method. Long story short, teachers rely on the memorization of concepts and procedures as well as on the regurgitation of facts, and provide students with little evaluative feedback.

5. China
Chinese education is incredibly strict, and in early years students are taught with an abacus, they are trained for so long that after a while, they don’t even need an abacus! Students use an imaginary abacus that at times is proven to be three times quicker than using a calculator! See video opposite.

In conclusion, you can see that there is a correlation between people taking careers in maths and them being pushed to do maths rather than making their own choices in life, but still being good at it. And you also have those who enjoy maths but don’t take a career in it because they don’t feel pressured into doing it, but still do well in it.