Arithmetic Textbooks
Sir.—Some years ago Professor Anderson, of Auckland, pointed out ifeat the excessive emphasis on the practical and up-to-date in educataonal theory and practice in Nw Zealand springs from a failure to understand that the human intellect is capable of abstract knowledge. “Headmaster' ’ is Ims tateet letter reveals toeft he has not grasped the essentially abstract character of wdinery arithmetic. He writes: “Ibe greater the pupil’s ability to work with bigger and bigger numbers, the more be will be capable of dealing with abstract quantities (when he learns mathematics)" My point is that the bigger and bigger numbers are themselves abstract quantities, since arithmetic is a part of mathematics.—Yours, etc.. GAD. June 9, 1961.
Sir, —A simple theory to explain the 1916-1961 difference is that this generation of teachers cannot do 1916 arithmetic. —Yours, etc., THE HOODED TERROR. June 9, 1961.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume C, Issue 29537, 12 June 1961, Page 3
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142Arithmetic Textbooks Press, Volume C, Issue 29537, 12 June 1961, Page 3
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