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The Nature and Role of Algebra in the K-14 Curriculum Proceedings of a National Symposium (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Synthesis of Day One
Pages 49-54

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From page 49...
... Explore an area, look at it in many different ways, persevere in what you and the students are doing, such as cooperative learning, use of English, and emphasis on reading." In moving to the second part of Question 1, "How long must students be engaged with an important mathematical idea so that understanding is achieved? Pollak noted the participants' sense that this is the wrong question and that the straightforward response from many was simply, "As long as it takes." Question 2: To develop criteria or lenses with which to select curriculum, appropriate pedagogy, and assessment, how should algebraic reasoning be derned?
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From page 50...
... Working with PTAs and business roundtables, writing newspaper columns, and gaining publicity for student work all were mentioned as ideas." Pollak observed further: "One important thought about mathematics education is to involve employers. The system is too nearly a closed system.
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From page 51...
... A major comment was that we all know what needs to be done. We should stop talking end dolt." AREAS NEEDING FURTHER DISCUSSION "Last," Pollak observed that "the notion of algebra as a way of thinking versus algebra as an object of thought came up yesterday.
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From page 52...
... That is part of the road from arithmetic to algebra." Gail Burr`R OBSERVATIONS STIMULATED BY JOHN DOSSEY'S PRESENTATION Gail Burrill noted that she had been thinking about what John Dossey said and about the notion "that we have lost a dynamic, growing view of what algebra is. I also am thinking about the observation that we are survivors and the notion that technology allows us to go back to a dynamic view.
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From page 53...
... So, we need to push on that." ADULT LEARNERS Burrill observed that, "the following question came up once or twice, and it is really important: Do adult learners in community colleges or universities need a different kind of developmental structure to understand algebra? Or can you do the same things with them as with younger learners?
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From page 54...
... I have to be able to move beyond my own understanding of how to fill in the holes so that I can let students have their choices of ways to think about things. When we have this notion of equity and the notion of trying to move forward, we need to put together technology, equity issues, and professional development in ways that will help us to help students understand algebra."
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Key Terms

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  • positive integers
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  • minimum level
  • burrill noted
  • professional development
  • pollak noted
  • equity issues

  • gail burrill
  • understand algebra
  • henry pollak
  • pollak observed
  • easily generalized

  • doing algebraic
  • develop public
  • big burden
  • changing success
  • changing technologies

  • answer depend
  • mathematics education
  • grade levels
  • business roundtables
  • real mathematical

  • betty phillips
  • coverage included
  • finite representation
  • growing view
  • john dossey


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