Children Doing Mathematics

Book excerpt: Children Doing Mathematics provides a reliable and up to date review of the substantial recent work in children' mathematical understanding. The authors also present important new research on children's understanding of number, measurement, arithmetic operation and fractions both in and out of school. The central theme of Children Doing Mathematics is that there are crucial conditions for children's mathematical learning. Firstly, children have to come to grips with conventional mathematical systems. Secondly, but equally important, they have to be able to present mathematical knowledge in a way that solves problems. The book also discusses how mathematical activities and knowledge involve much more than what is currently viewed as mathematics in the school curriculum. Most recent work illustrates how children can be successful in mathematical activities outside school whereas they fail in similar activities in the classroom. Through these two underlying themes the authors bring together discussions on conventional mathematical learning and on real life mathematical success. In so doing, they also highlight new and better ways of analysing children's abilities and of advancing their learning in school.