Comparison between Lockhart's Lament and Akin's In Defense of Mindless Rote

Abstract

In this study, a comparative analysis of two different teaching theories proposed by Paul Lockhart and Akin is tried to conduct. Both of the theories were brought about in the start of the millennium to propose the strategies for instructing mathematics to students in an effective and efficient manner to raise expectations of student and better train them for the 21st century. Summaries of each article, with clear indication of the main points conveyed by each author, are analyzed in this paper. The similarities and differences between the goals of the different authors as well as the teaching styles and techniques they suggest are discussed in this paper.

Comparison between Lockhart's Lament and Akin's In Defense of Mindless Rote

Introduction

Mathematics educators have been striving for many decades to come across techniques to help out children widen the capability to think mathematically, to put together logic of numbers, mathematical operations and symbols, actually to build up mathematical and statistical skills.

Pedagogical theories have been proposed, especially for almost two decades, by mathematics experts for educating mathematics in K- 12 classrooms. These theories propose possible successful teaching practices that can be incorporated by secondary math teachers into their classrooms for promoting the skills that are essential for a shifting global economy. Some of the proposed instruction techniques include Problem-based instruction in which such problems are incorporated that are significant to students and pertinent to their existing and upcoming lives; fun, risk taking, project based instruction and self- regulated techniques, collaboration time and student-led solutions etc.

Two of the major theories of the last decade are of Lockhart's student led solution and Akin's emphasis over the traditional approach of learning mathematics that are analyzed as under.

Body: Discussion and Analysis

Lockhart's Lament

Paul Lockhart is a highly qualified research mathematician who has chosen to dedicate his teaching career to K-12 education. In 2002, he wrote a brief book about the possible teaching reforms for K- 12 mathematics class rooms- A Mathematician's Lament. Lockhart expresses its grief and disappointment for teaching of mathematics in the American education system as it fails to facilitate students to pursue mathematics artistically and imaginatively.

The traditional approach of teaching of mathematics is agonized by Lockhart. The traditional approach follows the sequel of presenting rules definitions and rules to the students then in practice problems, these earlier described rules are demonstrated and then finally students start practicing problems with these illustrated rules. However, Lockhart recommends that instead of initiating teaching with rules and definitions, students should practice problems at first. Lockhart believes that reconstructing the mode of teaching mathematics to students will open new arenas for the students to explore the splendor of mathematics before being over- involved in its descriptions. He exemplifies musicians that they are not asked to dispense with picking up of a musical instrument unless all about musical reading and writing and instrumental design has been learned by them. In this modern era, obsessed with technology and gateways of ...