DOCUMENT RESUME ED 088 705 SE 017' 485 TITLE School Mathematics Study_Gronp Newsletters [Curriculum Content, Development and Objective J. Numbers 1-4-6-11-13-24-25-28-33-36-38. INSTITUTION Stanford Univ., Calif. School Mathematics Study Group. SPONS AGENCY National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 72 NOTE 288p. EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$13.80 DESCRIPTORS Bibliographies; Curriculum; *Curriculum Development; Elementary School Mathematics; Instruction; *Mathematics Education; *Newsletters; Research; Secondary School Mathematics IDENTIFIERS *School Mathematics Study Group; SMSG ABSTRACT This document is one of three made up of newsletters from the School Mathematics Study Group's (SMSG) series of newsletters written between 1959 and 1972. This set contains newsletters 1, 4, 6, 11, 24, and 36, covering the history, objectives, organization, and projects undertaken by SMSG; newsletters 13, 25, and 28, discussing the preparation and articulation of content in SMSG tests; newSletter 33, which discusses mathematics for disadvantaged and low-achieving students; and newsletter 38, which states objectives and minimum goals for mathematics education. Related documents are SE 017.486 and SE 017. 487. (JP) SCHOOL MATHEMATICS STUDY GROU P trN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION &WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTEOF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO. DUCED EXACTLY. AS RECEIVED FROM C)- THE PERSONOR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN. ATING I T. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE. SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTEOF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. Newsletter No.I March 1959 TO ERIC' AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL IN- STITUTE OF EDUCATION. FURTHER REMO-. DUCTION OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM. RE QUIRES PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER." "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY- RIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY E. G. Beg le TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNOER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL IN- STITUTE OF EDUCATION. FURTHER REPRO- DUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM RE. QUIRES PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER . To keep the mathematical community informed of its plans and progress, the School Mathematics Study Group will issue a newsletter from time to time. Thisfirst.Newsletter, devoted to the history, organization, present activities, andfuture plans of the School Mathematics Study Group, is being sent to each member of the National Council of Teachers of athematic.c. Those who wish to receivesubsequent,issues of the Newsletter should so indicate, using the form printed on the inside back cover. Financial support of the School Mathematics Study Group has been provided by the National Science Foundation HISTORY In the spring of 1958, after consulting with the Presi- dents of the National Council of Teachers of Mathe- matics and the Mathematical Association of America, the President of the American Mathematical Society ap- pointed a small conunitt f educators and university mathematicians to organize a chool Mathematics Study Group whose objective would be the improvement of the teaching of mathematics in the schools. Professor E. G. Begle was appointed Director of the Study Group, with headquarters at Yale University. In addition, the organizing committee appointed an Advisory Com- mittee, consisting of college and university mathema- ticians, high school teachers of mathematics, experts in education, and representatives of science and technology, to work with the director. The National Science Foundation, with an initial grant of $too,000 in the spring of 1958 sand a further grant of SI,200,000 later that year, has provided the fi- nancial support for the work of the Study Group. OBJECTIVES The world of today demands more mathematical knowledge on the part of more people than the world of yesterday and the world of tomorrow will make still greater demands. Our society leans more and more heavily on science and technology. The number of our citizens skilled in mathematics must be greatly increased; an understanding of the role of mathematics in our so- ciety is now a prerequisite for intelligent citizenship. Since no one can predict with certainty his future pro- fession, much less foretell which mathematical skills will be required in the future by a given profession, it is im- portant that mathematics be so taught that students will be able in later life to learn the new mathematical skills which the future will surely demand of many of them. To achieve this objective in the teaching of school mathematics three things are required. First, we need an improved curriculum which will offer students not only the basic mathematical skills but also a deeper under- standing of the bask concepts and structure of mathe- matics. Second, mathematics programs must attract and train more of those students who are capable of study- ing mathematics with profit. Finally, all help possible must be provided for teachers who are preparing them- selves to teach these challenging and interesting courses. Each project undertaken- by the School Mathematics Study Group is concerned with one or more of these three needs. ORGANIZATION Basic policy for the School Mathematics Study Group is set by the Advisory Committee. This Committee meets periodically to review the progress of current projects and decides on the undertaking of new projects. A list of the members of the Advisory Committee is to be found on page 5. An Executive Committee of the AdvisOiy. Com- mittee is available to handle urgent problems between meetings of the Advisory Committee. Each specific project undertaken by the School Mathe- matics Study Group is supervised by a Panel, drawn in part from the Advisory_Committee. A list of the mem- bers of the Panels as currently constituted may be found on pages 6 and 7. 4 ADVISORY COMMITTEE A. A. Albert, University of Chicago F. B. Allen, Lyons Township High School, LaGrange, Illinois E. G. Begle, Yale University Lipman Bers, New York University S. S. Cairns, University of Illinois G. F. Carrier, Harvard University W. L Duren, Jr., University of Virginia Howard Fehr, Columbia University H. V. Funk, Columbia University A. M. Gleason, Harvard University J. H. Hlavaty, Dewitt Clinton High School, Ncw York P. S. Jones, University of Michigan L Clark Lay, Pasadena City College. K. 0. May, Carleton College J. R. Mayor, American Association for the Advancement of Science A. E. Meder, Jr., Rutgers University E. E. Moise, University of Michigan P. M. Naghdi, University of California Richard Pieters, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts G. B. Price, University of Kansas R. E. K. Rourke, Kent School; Kent, Connecticut A. W. Tucker, Princeton University Henry Van Engel', University of Wisconsin A. D. Wallace, Tulane University E L. Walters, William Penn Scnior High. School, York, Penn- sylvania Mark S. Wilcox, Thomas Carr Howe High School, Indian- apolis, Indiana M. W. Zemansky, The College of the City of New York, New York PANEL ON 7TH AND 8TH GRADES J. A. Brown, State University Teachers College, Oneonta, New York I..enore John, University of Chicago B. W. Jones, University of Colorado P. S. Jones, University of Michigan J. R. Mayor, American Association for the Advancement of Science P. C. Rosenbloom, University of Minnesota Veryl Schub, Supervisor of Mathematics, Washington, D.C. PANEL ON SAMPLE TEXTBOOKS F. B. Allen, Lyons Township High School, LaGrange, Illinois Edwin Douglas, The Taft School, Watertown, Connecticut D. E. Richmond, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachu- setts C. E. Rickart, Yale University Henry Swain, New Trier Township High School, Winnetka, Illinois R. J. Walker, Cornell University PANEL ON MONCGRAPHS Lipman Bers, New York University, Ncw York H. S. M. Coxeter, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada P. R. Halmos, University of Chicago J. H. Hlavaty, Dewitt Clinton High School, New York N. Jacobsen, Yale University H. 0. Pollak, Bell Telephone Laboratories George Polya, Stanford University R. S. Pieters, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. H. E. Robbins, Columbia University W. W. Sawyer, Wesleyan University N. E. Steenrod, Princeton University J. J. Stokcr, New York University Leo Zippin, Queens College, Flushing, New York PANEL ON TEACHER TRAINING MATERIALS J. B. Adkins, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hamp- shire H. F. Fehr, Columbia University J. L Kelley, University of California -41 'L. C. Lay, Pasadena City College K; 0. May, Carleton College B. E. Meserve, Montclair State Teachers College, Montclair, New Jersey G: S. Young, University of Michigan (The Director is es officio a member of each panel) RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS The School Mathematics Study Group is, of course, not the only organization concerned with the improve- ment of mathematics in our schools. Some of the others are: the Secondary School Curriculum Committee of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; the University of Illinois Committee on School Mathe- matics; and the Commission on Mathematics of the College Entrance Examination Boird. The School Mathematics Study Group is not in com- petition with any of these organizations. Instead, we believe that we can supplement and extend their work. Liaison with them is provided by the simple expedient of including on our Advisory Committee and on our writing teams representatives of these organizations. The Federal Government also is vitally interested in the improvement of school mathematics, as is evidenced, for example, by the financial support provided by the National Science Foundation for the School Mathe- matics Study Group. Even more important is the pro- gramof Summer, Academic Year, and In-Service In- stitutes sponsored by the National Science Foundation, without which any, widespread improvement in the teaching of school mathematics would be virtually im- possible. PROJECTS UNDER WAY EXPERIMENTAL PROJECTGaanns 7 AND 8 The School Madiematics Study Group believes it particularly important that greater substance and in- terest be given to the mathematics of grades 7 and 8. One of our major projects now under way is concerned with the curriculum for these two grades. Unlike the curriculum for grades 9 through 12, the curriculum for these two grades has not had the benefit of much, careful study in recent years.