Author Description
Although proving is core to mathematics as a sense-making activity, it currently has a marginal place in elementary classrooms internationally. Blending research with practical perspectives, this book addresses what it would take to elevate the place of proving at elementary school. The book uses classroom episodes from two countries to examine different kinds of proving tasks and the proving activity they can generate in the elementary classroom. It examines further the role of teachers in mediating the relationship between proving tasks and proving activity, including major mathematical and pedagogical issues that arise for teachers as they implement each kind of proving task. In addition to its contribution to research knowledge, the book has important implications for teaching, curricular resources, and teacher education.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the pedagogical strategies and structural changes required to integrate mathematical proving as a fundamental sense-making activity within elementary school classrooms. Andreas J. Stylianides, an expert in mathematics education, synthesizes international research with practical classroom observations to argue that proving is currently marginalized in early education. He presents a framework for how teachers can facilitate complex mathematical reasoning by carefully selecting tasks and mediating student engagement with those tasks.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of classroom episodes from two distinct international settings
- A classification of different types of proving tasks suitable for young learners
- Pedagogical frameworks for teacher mediation in mathematical discourse
- Identification of core mathematical and pedagogical challenges for educators
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a comprehensive K-6 curriculum or lesson plan repository
- Focuses primarily on the teacher's role rather than student-led independent discovery
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Educators and researchers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the cognitive transition from arithmetic to formal mathematical reasoning. Experts highlight the book's utility in bridging the gap between abstract theoretical research and the practical realities of the elementary classroom.
Page Count:
208
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191034738
ISBN-13:
9780191034732
Education
Pedagogy
Proof Theory
Elementary Education
Mathematics - General
Mathematics Statistics
Teaching Methods
Mathematics Education