Smith Mathematics Sydney: Coach and Tutor

Smith Mathematics Coaching Sydney

Maths Coach from Year 10 to the HSC
Tuition on the North Shore from an experienced teacher
Expert Maths Tuition: Year 10 to Year 12 HSC

Email: john@smithmaths.com.au
Website:     www.smithmaths.com.au
Phone: (02) 9498 8883


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Derive it when you need it?

Smith Mathematics Coaching and TuitionOne of the latest fads in teaching mathematics is not to expect students to remember anything.

So, students are not expected to know the multiplication tables.

They are not expected to know how to do long division. And they are certainly not expected to know the formula for the area of a circle!

The latest "Teaching" Method

"Let them derive it when they need it" is the slogan of this "teaching" method.

Of course, the fact that it took the human race 6000 years to learn how to derive the area formula doesn't worry the proponents of this method. They prattle on about how important it is for students to "do" mathematics rather than just remembering formulae.

I am not sure what mathematics can be "done" by a group of 30 students, who know nothing, and are told that they don't have to know anything. You don't have to have been in a classroom yourself to see that this is a recipe for disaster.

But surely someone must believe fervently in this method! Otherwise it would never have got off the ground let alone be taught in your neighbourhood school!

The advent of Calculators

Well yes there is someone who thinks that this is the way to teach mathematics. Someone who thinks that if you don't know your tables then that will be good for business. Someone who thinks that if you don't know how to multiply or divide, then that means money in the bank.

That person or persons are the sellers of calculators. They stand to make a fortune out of the stupidity of this latest fad in education!

They portray themselves as the benefactors of mathematical education. They sponsor national mathematics teachers' conferences. They provide free worksheets for teachers to use in class. They advertise profusely in teachers' magazines so that the editors cannot but give good coverage of them.

And what of the student?

Well. they end up knowing no mathematics. They cannot use numbers or algebra. Graphs have been done for them by the new sacred icon, the graphics calculator. Euclid will be a thing of the past and proof will disappear with him.

How can you avoid this fate? You can buy shares in the calculator companies. Or you can fight back and tell your sons and daughters that the area of a circle is πR².

Our Students come from these suburbs:

Baulkham Hills, Bellevue Hill, Bondi Junction, Burwood, Carlingford, Castle Hill, Chatswood, Cheltenham, Cherrybrook, Cremorne, Crows Nest, Croydon, Darlinghurst, Duffys Forest, Dural, Edgecliff, Epping, Frenchs Forest, Girraween, Gladesville, Gosford, Homebush, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Killara, Kirribilli, Kogarah, Lane Cove, Manly, Milsons Point, Mona Vale, Mosman, Normanhurst, North Parramatta, North Sydney, Parramatta, Petersham, Pymble, Randwick, Roseville, Ryde, St Ives, Stanmore, Strathfield, Surry Hills, Sydney Square, Turramurra, Wahroonga, Willoughby, Woolwich

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Smith Mathematics Coaching and Tuition
North Shore & Sydney
Phone: 9498-8883
Fax:     9498-4118
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