Running head: PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 1

Purpose and Driving Force of Schools Philosophy Behind Math Curriculum

Kristina Ebner
The Masters College

PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 2
A philosophy of education can tell you a great deal about a person, not only their
convictions and knowledge, but also where their training or influence came from. My philosophy
of education is this, My main goal in teaching is to develop and cultivate a love for learning in
my students. I believe it is critical to gain insight into my students in order to develop instruction
that is both engaging and interesting to each individual. By approaching teaching from different
angles, I can reach multiple learning styles within one lesson. It is critical for both the teachers
and students success that information be taught in multiple ways and with real-life connections.
This is something I have spent a great deal of time cultivating, editing and reflecting over. It is
crucial to know what you think and why you think it in order to reflect on others ideals,
philosophies or theories.
I moved to a different state last year and quickly realized the amount of differences
between my previous state and current one academically. Though there are many aspects of the
new Common Core curriculum that I dont agree with, one important aspect I find beneficial is
the consistency students will experience across states if they move during their academic career.
As I began to look at the different curriculum selections and learn about their philosophies, I
quickly realized the math curriculum would be a challenge for me to learn because it was very
specific and different than how I had taught math at my last school.
As time has gone on, I have come to see great strengths in the Bridges math curriculum
and the philosophy behind it. According to the Bridges teacher guide, Bridges blends direct
instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. It taps into the intelligence and
strengths of all students by presenting material that is as linguistically, visually, and
kinesthetically rich as it is mathematically powerful (Burk & Snyder, 2007). Their philosophy is
one that focuses on teaching the same material from several different strategies and learning
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 3
styles in order to have the best chance for students to gain long term comprehension. Bridges
math has been completely redesigned over the past few years to fit Common Core standards and
goals. This curriculum has several aspects that fit the philosophy of reconstructivism. The idea
that society is in need of a change academically is something that is facing America today. There
is a great deal of talk about our National Achievement scores in math compared to other nations
and what that will mean for our economy and future. Bridges math and Common Core both
follow the line of thinking that all students must learn and accomplish mastery goals, meaning
students must be held to a high standard and pushed to reach that standard (Urdan & Pajares,
2001). It also fulfills the idea that in order to stay relevant as a nation we must stay in the
forefront of learning and change that is occurring. In our current society this need to stay current
or even ahead is in the world of technology. As a nation were are focused on technology and
math with the goal of renewing and strengthening our abilities and knowledge through the youth
of our country.
The thoughts and beliefs of Bridges math also fulfill the theory of education known as
educational progressivism. This theory has an emphasis on learning through doing and higher
order thinking through the act of testing things out. Progressivism, according to Oregon State
Universitys School of Philosophy, says, This educational philosophy stresses that students
should test ideas by active experimentation Cohen, 1999). That statement fits perfectly into my
schools math curriculum. The focus on leveled questioning, higher categories of thinking and
ultimately learning through hands-on activities all help to identify educational progressivism.
This philosophy not only supports my personal philosophy of education, it presents a
foundation for the pedagogy I use in my classroom and the framework from which I design
curriculum. In the book Education & Philosophy, Knight states, Pupils are active rather than
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 4
passive in reference to principles of progressivism in education (Knight, 2006). This directly
connects with my belief that students should not simply be sitting in desks all day listening to the
teacher speak. In order to experience learning, use the different styles and intelligence strengths,
my students must be allowed to test and explore the information they are being given. Another
point Knight makes is that progressivism in education desires for students to continue lifelong
learning and connecting tasks to many different parts of real life situations helps that become a
reality (2006).
As a Christian who is a teacher, it is my job to equip my students to the best of my
ability. In Colossians 3:23-24 it says, Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the
Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the
inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (NASV). Therefore my goal and my desire
should be to please the Lord. This doesnt mean I neglect my students, it means I give them
everything I can to hopefully create enduring understanding because Christ has called me to
work in everything as for the Lord.
Bridges math curriculum, as well as educational progressivism relate completely with
both my philosophy of education as well as my Christian Worldview in connection to teaching.
My belief that children should be taught using the different multiple intelligences as well as
lessons that include all learning style connects to the way Bridges uses several different
strategies for learning and progressivisms through the idea of discovery learning (2006). Using
real-world examples and problems within the math curriculum helps students engage in learning
and make connections that will place their learning in long term memory to build on later (Sousa,
2006). Educational progressivism also suggests that students who are interacting socially while
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 5
learning and teachers who are willing to be a guide that connects learning with the outside world
will have a stronger grasp of subject concepts (2001).
My ideology aligns with my philosophy of education because it is based on the belief that
all students can learn, but each has different strengths and weaknesses that vary from the others.
This also supports the basis of my Christian worldview that we are all created in the image of
God, but each person has different positions and strengths in the Body of Christ. The collection
of thoughts and norms that make up my ideology has been formed throughout my educational
career both in undergraduate and graduate schooling. I have formed ideas that drove my
curriculum design, reflected on their success or failure and then adjusted my original thought and
design for the next time. Each of those steps has helped me fine-tune and perfect my ideology
about teaching and education as a whole.
Before I wrote this paper I didnt realize the extent that I connect with the Bridges math
curriculum or how much the programs philosophy aligned with my personal philosophy both as
an educator as well as a Christian teacher. Im grateful for the ease and support the math
curriculum has been once I understood the driving force behind it. If a curriculums philosophy
connects to your own, it formulates a connection between yourself and that teaching practice.



PHILOSOPHY BEHIND MATH CURRICULUM 6
References
Burk, D. and Snider, A. (2007). Bridges in mathematics grade 2. The Math Learning Center.
Salem, Oregon.
Cohen, L. (1999). Module one: History and philosophy of education. Oregon State University
School of Philosophy. http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP3.html
Knight, George R. (2006). Philosophy & education: An introduction in christian perspective.
Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.
Sousa, D. A. (2006). How the brain learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. A Sage
Publications Company.
Urdan, T and Pajares, F. (2001). Adolescence and education: General issues in the education of
adolescents. Greenwich, Connecticut. Information Age Publishing