As soon as I finished the reading, I declared myself a "fluid progressivist"!
But I need to emphasize that the freedom and autonomy that Progressive ideology demands commitment and dedication, which might sound like a sacrifice from the perspective of the teacher. In my point of view, it is not a sacrifice; it is the price that needs to be paid in order to have a fulfilled career in Math Education, where you need to grow and evolve along with the students.
I was surprised that the factors contributing to the dislike of math are mainly spread by math teachers who lacked the capacity and willingness to address the difficulties that represent a good math learning environment. The fact that elementary teachers fear math due to a lack of knowledge and confidence is a crime against the upbringing of new generations.
I do agree with the importance of highlighting the common points between the two approaches, in search of an equilibrated new movement that benefits the new learners.
Globalization and specialization of the industry have led society to look for a productive and efficient way to educate. New Technologies in need of new operators push for a simplified and narrow education, focusing on creating a labour force. We should think about the benefits of using math as a critical thinking training machine instead of a calculator tool. The calculator will become obsolete with time, but our critical thinking and curiosity will allow us to reinvent the new calculator and give purpose to our lives.
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