Abstract
In this chapter we are concerned to understand the connection that can occur for primary school children between relevant practical, “hands-on” engagement with the material world in partnership with others and the development of mathematical commitment, enthusiasm and understanding. We draw on our personal experiences of children who, as part of a theory driven intervention, prepared for a mathematical exhibition by working on extended tasks which they then displayed and explained. We use the writings of David Jardine on time and Peter Applebaum on work to aid our thinking. We point to how absorbing, extended practical work recognises and calls forth our humanity and can provide purposeful spaces for making mathematics.
This chapter draws on and slightly extends Povey, Adams, Jackson, and Ughi (2016a).
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Notes
- 1.
This was an EU project, Mathematics in the Making (MiMa) (http://www.mathematicsinthemaking.eu), (Project no. 539872-LLP-1-2013-1-IT-COMENIUS–CMP) funded through the Comenius Lifelong Learning Programme. The partners were Università degli Studi di Perugia, P3 Poliedra Progetti in Partenariato, Eotvos Lorand University, Mathematikum, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Sheffield Hallam University.
- 2.
The teachers all noted how important the exhibition had been for the children's learning. The five themes which emerged during the initial analysis (the opportunity to exercise responsibility and autonomy; explaining and communicating mathematics clearly to other people; becoming successful and more confident learners; experiencing effort and engagement; and being part of a wider community) are reported in Povey, Adams, Jackson and Ughi (2016c).
- 3.
We have explored this further in Povey, Adams and Boylan (2016a).
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Povey, H., Adams, G., Jackson, C. (2018). Time for Work: Finding Worth-While-Ness in Making Mathematics. In: Ernest, P. (eds) The Philosophy of Mathematics Education Today. ICME-13 Monographs. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77760-3_22
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