Mathematical problem solving in support of the curriculum?

Abstract

The paper describes the results of part of a study into mathematical problem solving in secondary schools. The research project was an attempt to work with teachers, using almost an action research model, to try to develop good practice with the teaching of problem solving. At the same time we were interested in the students' reactions and how their learning and understanding of problem solving could be enhanced. The results described here show how two classes performed over the best part of a school year. The most spectacular result was the performance of a class of lower ability students on the end of year examination. They improved considerably over their results of the previous year and in this sense their results were better than the other classes at that level. We conjecture that the results were achieved in part, as a consequence of the time that was spent in the problem-solving lessons which allowed them to practise reading and working with wordy problems and working on basic material, especially arithmetic and algebra, at their own pace.