Sir, – I have the misfortune to be one of the fifth year pupils referred to by Kate Mockler (March 5th).
I have been introduced, this year, to “project maths”. It is, bluntly, a dumbed down version of the syllabus with two functions. To increase numerical ability (here meaning, to make the exam easier – ridiculously so), and to increase the numbers taking higher level maths, in order to make it appear as though our education system is a success.
In class recently we were debating a project maths question where it was necessary to describe how you would measure the height of a pylon surrounded by a fence, armed with a tape measure. The answer was so open-ended that anybody could have been right, yet for those of us who used to consider maths a numerical subject, all these words and “ethical issues” relating to statistics are a tad disconcerting.
The Government would do better to focus on standards of teaching and primary and junior cycle curriculums, which are far too simplistic. A Russian pupil attending my school said to me during an algebra lesson: “I studied this when I was eight years old”. Which is the more developed country, you may find yourself asking. – Is mise,