1. They are not very "fun"
2. They are quite comprehensive
3. They are laid out in chronological order
First the bad news, then the good news: simply looking at the curriculum documents and supporting texts, it does not seem like the mathematics curriculum is being presented as a problem that needs to be solved, but rather as work that needs to be done. As we have all heard so many times by now, children learn best trough play. This same concept applies to mathematics! It is so important for students to have the opportunity to learn rough inquiry-based learning to really dive into mathematics. The kindergarten through grade two textbooks seemed to begin to grasp this concept, because of the great use of colour and the integration of children's literature. This was really exciting to see, and with the right planning, a teacher could have a very successful classroom in which children are learning collaboratively! Unfortunately, it seems as if the textbooks in grades three through six are not as engaging as in the primary level. There is a certain lack of colour, which is not as eye-catching and fun as the primary program. The books do, however, utilize a lot of different strategies for problem-solving, which in incredibly useful for struggling learners.
The good news is that the mathematics textbooks do fit very well with the mathematics curriculum. Because the companies that produce the books are in the business of making money, they do their very best to cater to the needs of the provinces to which their product will be marketed. By this I mean that before they create the book, they take a careful look at the Newfoundland curriculum as well as the curriculum in other provinces to ensure that they are making a product that will sell. This works out very well for the teachers in this province, as most, if not all of the curriculum material that they need to cover is right there in the textbook! Furthermore, each grade level comes with not only a student textbook (and in the case of k-3, a workbook too!) but a teacher resource guide, which shows teachers how they should teach the material.Contrary to what students may (or may not) think, just because we are teachers does not mean that we don't need to learn! While the textbook is an excellent resource for teaching math, teachers still need to ensure that they use appropriate manipulatives as well as games and technology in order to truly teach the subject so that the students will learn.
Finally, the best part of the curriculum guide itself is that it is in chronological order. I think that this aspect is crucial for students and teachers alike. I love it when things are laid out in a perfect order, and the curriculum guide does just that. As I look at the curriculum guide for other subjects, I begin to feel overwhelmed by the number of the number of curriculum outcomes to be met. Having them laid out in order is simple, yet almost calming in the way that they feel a lot more achievable.
Overall, I think that implemented correctly and integrated with technology and games, the curriculum documents are a great support to the curriculum outcomes in teaching mathematics.
The good news is that the mathematics textbooks do fit very well with the mathematics curriculum. Because the companies that produce the books are in the business of making money, they do their very best to cater to the needs of the provinces to which their product will be marketed. By this I mean that before they create the book, they take a careful look at the Newfoundland curriculum as well as the curriculum in other provinces to ensure that they are making a product that will sell. This works out very well for the teachers in this province, as most, if not all of the curriculum material that they need to cover is right there in the textbook! Furthermore, each grade level comes with not only a student textbook (and in the case of k-3, a workbook too!) but a teacher resource guide, which shows teachers how they should teach the material.Contrary to what students may (or may not) think, just because we are teachers does not mean that we don't need to learn! While the textbook is an excellent resource for teaching math, teachers still need to ensure that they use appropriate manipulatives as well as games and technology in order to truly teach the subject so that the students will learn.
Finally, the best part of the curriculum guide itself is that it is in chronological order. I think that this aspect is crucial for students and teachers alike. I love it when things are laid out in a perfect order, and the curriculum guide does just that. As I look at the curriculum guide for other subjects, I begin to feel overwhelmed by the number of the number of curriculum outcomes to be met. Having them laid out in order is simple, yet almost calming in the way that they feel a lot more achievable.
Overall, I think that implemented correctly and integrated with technology and games, the curriculum documents are a great support to the curriculum outcomes in teaching mathematics.
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