Mathematical Processes
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- develop flexibility and creativity in applying mathematical ideas and techniques
to unfamiliar problems arising in everyday life, and develop the ability to reflect critically on
the methods they have chosen;
- become effective participants in problem-solving teams, learning to express
ideas, and to listen and respond to the ideas of others;
- develop the skills of presentation and critical appraisal of a
mathematical argument or calculation, use mathematics to explore and conjecture,
and learn from mistakes as well as successes;
- develop the characteristics of logical and systematic thinking,
and apply these in mathematical and other contexts, including other subjects
of the curriculum;
- become confident and competent users of information technology in mathematical contexts;
- develop the skills and confidence to use their own language, and the language
of mathematics, to express mathematical ideas;
- develop the knowledge and skills to interpret written presentations of mathematics.
Number
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- develop an understanding of numbers, the ways they are represented, and the quantities for which they stand;
- develop accuracy, efficiency, and confidence in calculating-mentally, on paper, and with a calculator;
- develop the ability to estimate and to make approximations, and to be alert to the reasonableness of results and measurements.
Measurement
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- develop knowledge and understanding of systems of measurement and their use and interpretation;
- develop confidence and competence in using instruments and measuring devices;
- predict and calculate the effects of changes in variables and rate of change of variables on systems representable by simple mathematical models.
Geometry
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- gain a knowledge of geometrical relations in two and three dimensions,
and recognise and appreciate their occurrence in the environment;
- develop spatial awareness and the ability to recognise and
make use of the geometrical properties and symmetries of everyday objects;
- develop the ability to use geometrical models as aids to solving
practical problems in time and space.
Algebra
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- recognise patterns and relationships in mathematics and the real world, and be able to generalise from these;
- develop the ability to think abstractly and to use symbols, notation, and graphs and diagrams to represent and communicate mathematical relationships, concepts, and generalisations;
- use algebraic expressions confidently to solve practical problems.
Statistics
The mathematics curriculum intended by this statement will provide opportunities for students to:
- recognise appropriate statistical data for collection, and develop the skills of collecting,
organising, and analysing data, and presenting reports and summaries;
- interpret data presented in charts, tables, and graphs of various kinds;
- develop the ability to estimate probabilities and to use probabilities for prediction.
Development of essential skills through mathematics
The key outcome of mathematics education is the development of the
ability to apply certain of the essential skills described in The New Zealand
Curriculum Framework – communication skills; numeracy skills; information
skills; problem-solving skills; social and co-operative skills; and work and
study skills. The mathematical processes identified in this curriculum statement
are the expression of these essential skills in mathematical contexts. This
curriculum statement, therefore, suggests approaches to teaching, learning,
and assessment which will give students the maximum possible opportunity to
develop the essential skills.
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