Abstract / Synopsis
Society’s response to the question of what is worth sharing and how it best can be provided as conceived by the educational establishment shapes the education of every individual in school. As the classroom experience is a commitment to the future of society, it is good and just for society to support the educational development of each person in order that all can participate productively. In this way a “just balance” is established. In the particular case of educating students in mathematics, however, there is apparently an unjust balance, for despite the considerable time and effort students and teachers in addition to curriculum and textbook writers have given over years to create successful educational experiences, students have tended to struggle to learn mathematics. This paper argues that toward securing a just balance in the mathematics classroom in the best interests of students and a democratic society, the curriculum and classroom experience ought to provide for students’ metacognitive, emotional and social development, and incorporate heuristics for a more dedicated and informed problem-solving engagement. This focus makes it possible for students to become more reflective and better able to deal with emotions associated with their mathematics experience, better able to interact with a diverse population, and provides a language of investigation (heuristics) that can promote a more productive problem-solving experience, all of which support the commitment to a democratic society.
Recommended Citation
Marshall Gordon, "A Just Balance and the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 16 Issue 1 (January 2026), pages 134-163. . Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol16/iss1/9
