Annual – 1965 – Elementary Mathematics Education Issue

Publication of the Mathematics Council of The Alberta Teachers’ Association

EDITORIAL

MCATA is an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. This year one of the major conventions of NCTM was held at Vancouver, British Columbia, August 26 to 28. Many of our members might benefit from a brief summary of the history, work and purposes of this organization.

History and Purpose

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics was organized in 1920, incorporated in 1928, and became a department of the National Education Association in 1950. Its purpose – as stated in its charter – is to assist in promoting the interest of mathematics in America, especially in elementary and secondary fields and to vitalize and coordinate the work of local organizations of mathematics teachers.

The NCTM is the only organization of its type. It has had a major influence on the teaching of mathematics and the most outstanding persons in mathematics education have been leaders and participants in its programs. It serves as an agency for both the coordination and stimulation of major efforts to improve the teaching of mathematics.

Membership has grown continuously and rapidly. The total number of members has quintupled within only ten years . On December 1, 1964, there were 37,000 individual members, with 23,000 institutional subscriptions to the two official journals, the Mathematics Teacher and the Arithmetic Teacher.

Affiliation with other Organizations

The NCTM is a department of the National Education Association and an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It urges that its members also be members of these two organizations. The NCTM is a member of the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences.

Publications

Journals. The Mathematics Teacher, now in its 58th year of publication, is the oldest journal. It is published monthly except during June, July, August, and September and contains articles on mathematics and the teaching of mathematics at the secondary level-by outstanding educators. It gives valuable information on such topics as testing, current practices, research, history of mathematics, reviews and evaluations, and tips for beginners.

The Arithmetic Teacher, first published in 1954, is concerned with the teaching of mathematics in kindergarten and in all the grades of the elementary school. It is also published monthly except during June, July, August and September. Special features include information on investigations and research, teaching and curriculum problems, testing and evaluation, classroom ideas, teaching aids and devices, and reviews.

Both the Mathematics Teacher and the Arithmetic Teacher are official journals. Membership dues include a subscription to either one, with the other journal being available for a small additional fee.

The Mathematics Student Journal, introduced in 1954, contains enrichment and recreational material for students in Grades VII through XII. A special feature is the problem section to which students may submit both problems and solutions. It is published four times a year (twice each semester) in November, January, March, and May. Both individual and group subscriptions are available for this journal.

Yearbooks. The yearbooks deal with timely problems in teaching of mathematics and have been published as needed since 1926. They have been outstanding contributions to the literature in their fields.

The 29th yearbook, Topics in Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers, s the most recent. The two prior yearbooks presented enrichment materials for the grades and for high school. The next edition, now in preparation, will discuss the use of the history of mathematics in the teaching of mathematics. The cost of the books is not included in membership dues.

Supplementary Publications. The wide range of topics presented in these booklets and pamphlets is indicated by the fact that more than 40 publications are available that give in~ formation on teaching aids, . tests, curriculum, teaching methods, study techniques, enrichment, and other subjects. Recent topics include the evaluation of textbooks, the twelfth-year mathematics program, utilizing computers in school mathematics, mathematics for elementary school teachers, and a compilation of cihallenging problems for students. · ·

Conventions

Conventions are held in various· areas in order to make them available to as many persons as possible. Meetings scheduled for 1965-66: Joint with NEA, New York, New York, June 29, 1965; Vancouver, British Columbia, August 26-28, 1965; Joint with AAAS, Berkeley, California, December 19, 1965; San Diego, Cal~fornia, .. March 11-13, 1966; Forty-Fourth Annual, ~ew York, New York, April 13-16, 1966; Joint with NEA, Miami Beach, Florida, June 29, 1966.

Other Professional Activities

The NCTM is teacher oriented, exists to serve teachers, and derives its strength from the activities of its members. It serves the mathematics teaching profession through its many committees, panels, and projects and through joint action with other educational and professional groups. Examples of the many and varied activities of the NCTM are production of films for the inservice education of elementary school teachers, study of ways to improve mathematics instruction through a better use of educational media, and preparation of instructional materials for the non-college bound student. Assistance to affiliated professional groups is another avenue of service. There are now 117 area, state, and local groups throughout the United States and Canada affiliated with the NCTM. Both professional and financial assistance are provided to these affiliates to help them be even more effective in stimulating professional growth among mathematics teachers. We urge you to join the affiliated group(s) in your area.

Benefits of Membership in NCTM

You as a member receive, without additional cost, either the Mathematics Teacher or the Arithmetic Teacher, and the Newsletter.

You receive continuous information about publications, services, and meetings.

You receive, without additional cost, many professionally useful materials sent both by other organizations and, through special authorization of the Board of Directors, by the NCTM.

You pay lower registration fees when you attend national meetings.

You are permitted to purchase at reduced fees one copy of certain yearbooks and other publications of the NCTM.

You have the privilege of participating in NCTM business, voting, and holding office. (Student members to not have this privilege.)

You identify yourself as a person of high professional ideals when you join with other frontier thinkers in mathematics education.

Your membership strengthens the NCTM and its program of service. Thus you make a definite contribution to the improvement of mathematics education.

J. Holditch

1 – 2

FRONT MATTER

3 – 6

EDITORIAL

J. Holditch

7 – 9