Curriculum and Teaching of Mathematics in the Higher Secondary Schools - An Analysis of Syllabuses.

This curriculum project in general mathematics was planned in order to study syllabuses of the elementary and high school curriculum under the following broad categories: (1) objectives of education and mathematics, (2) arrangement of the content, the duration of the course and the achievement expected in each topic, and (3) objectives of education at the primary and the middle level. One of the reports is an analysis of 43 books in elementary mathematics that are in use in various states of the country. The purpose of this study was to obtain an analytical opinion from the teachers about the textbooks in actual use for teaching elementary mathematics. This information was classified according to general information, general organization of the textbooks, subject matter, style of writing, pictorial and graphic illustrations, and objectives. The second report is an analysis of a limited survey of 30 schools selected from four states of India. The purpose of this study was to determine the current teaching-learning practices followed by teachers and students in the study of elementary mathematics. A factual account of what was observed in classes by the investigators and reported by teachers and students during interviews is reported for the following areas: (1) motivation, (2) continuity, (3) teaching new concepts, (4) problem solving, (5) individual and group work, (6) homework, and (7) teaching aids. (RP)