Chapter 9: The ‘New Math’ In Schools: Should We Extend It, Amend It, or Abolish It?

It is dangerous and difficult to speak about the ‘New Math’ because this term does not describe a single unified thing. Ten or fifteen years ago various ideas—good, bad and indifferent—invaded the sphere of mathematics education. At present there is a worldwide reaction against the ‘New Math’ and there is a danger that the backlash may threaten the good along with the bad. I therefore list some individual points, and my attitude to them:

Now for two views that I oppose:

I am not saying that students should not eventually come to know quite a lot about rational numbers and real numbers and abstract systems and so forth. What I am saying is that those responsible for the form of our present textbooks have not the least idea of how to get them there. Perhaps it will help if I quote one of the O.K. names of the New Maths, George Boole. Boole was not only a mathematician; he had experience of teaching the young and he said, “Premature abstraction emasculates the mind.” This is what I attack—premature abstraction.