Mathematics for Schools

This series of textbooks for students from ages five to thirteen, published by Addison Wesley, was written by teachers for students with the aim of inspiring them by giving them a lively sense of interest and pleasure in mathematics and its creative use in everyday living. It was concerned with more than the results of mathematics and the committing of isolated facts to memory. The thorough understanding of concepts and then the application of those concepts to new situations were stressed and although formal mathematics was not abandoned, careful consideration to the course of all mathematical experiences and the logical and psychological processes involved, from the reception class upward in all types of schools was given. The series was built on the fundamental and unifying idea in mathematics of a set. The series was keen to exploit the structure of using “real situations, doing, discussion, practice, new situations and generalisations” in its teaching style, stressing the need for discovery learning followed by practice as the authors felt that "getting to the sums" too soon could often impede rather than enhance mathematical progress. The books were also keen to stress a multiplicity of methods for calculation, especially using concrete materials and number lines. Two levels were produced in the series, which consisted of teacher's resource books and student books: Level I for ages five to seven, Level II for ages seven to thirteen. Also in the collection is a book for parents explaining the approach taken in the series and guidance for helping students at home. The series originally published in 1971 was revised in 1980 after the main author Harold Fletcher died.