Re: Algebra at Primary School

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 11:52:05 -0000, "JoL" <trinity.junk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>It's all very well to encourage her etc, however do think of the future
>implications. How will she behave when the rest of her class in year 7 are
>being taught the basics of algebra and she can already do higher GCSE work
>or better? Is it fair to make her stand out by knowing everything? Could
>she be extended sideways rather than upwards so that she still has something
>to learn in school?

There always has to be room for exceptional students ..if they are
indeed exceptional. All parents' children are exceptional. They all
surprise us with rapidity of their learning. They all eventually find
their niche. On the whole, who would require the teaching of algebra
in early years, when it is imminently clear that far too many have
difficulty with arithmetic? At a young age, and for all, if the truth
be known, both elementary [first three pages] algebra and arithmetic
are symbolic languages to be learned, each as difficult, or as easy as
the other to any particular individual. People learn to manipulate
numbers but few can visualise them with their rapid changes throughout
calculations until patterns are observed ...or not. I wonder why
number theory is not taught then perhaps? What needs to be considered
is the sense and order of what to teach when, and that has been
discussed over centuries. I'd still vote for some real mastery of
arithmetic first, before getting into generalised arithmetic with
symbols, no matter the fluff and show. If the child is truly bright,
that can be quickly done, and *then* move into more advanced study, so
that nothing is lacking in the former.

.

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