Battleground Schools - Article Response

As intimidating as it is, I think that Dewey's philosophy of inquiry mathematics is an extremely useful way of learning mathematics, and the inquiry learning model is one that is gaining popularity in many other fields. Not only is a student engaging in inquiry studies experiencing mathematics in the field, but they are broadening their understanding beyond the instrumental to gain further insight in the topic. However, having been taught in an instrumental way for so long, I can't say that I have much experience with in-field, environmentally programmed, learner-focused activities. I wonder sometimes, however, how much of a balance must be struck between the two. After all, one cannot use tools they lack to solve a problem; these tools must be shown in some way. I feel that instrumental development is crucial that way; perhaps, the teacher could preface each class with an introduction and a short lesson on the topic before engaging in the inquiry activity?

It seems counter-intuitive to me that the New Math program did not use inquiry-based learning and focused so much on set theory and abstract mathematics. I would have thought that "rocket scientists", as it were, would have an excellent understanding of their understanding of astrophysics, and in this would have developed more than an instrumental learning style. Although there is a great deal of abstraction in upper level mathematics (as in set theory, which New Math embraced), at the level of importance at which students were being placed in the 1960s, it doesn't make sense that their overall, in-depth understanding as not being embraced. Perhaps it was believed to have taken too much time.

Image: scratch.mit.edu

I still don't understand where the dislike of mathematics actually originated, but I would suggest after reading this article, that it originated sometime during/after the "New Math" was implemented. After all, a mandatory mathematics curriculum which makes no sense to anyone, not even the teacher, would surely cause parents to dislike and even hate mathematics. Is it possible, then, that a child would grow up believing that mathematics is an evil to be abolished and an unnecessary skill, because their parents/guardians treated it as such? The one thing I would like to verify is the implementation of the New Math program in Canada. Was it implemented at all, or was it a reworking of curriculum kept only within the United States? No matter the case, it seems that if there are constantly battles within the math curriculum and development groups, then it seems as though the reform of math will not come from curriculum groups, and by my speculation will likely not come from the homes of students. The New Math argument that students will not necessarily be following a career in math or physics and hence needn't focus on mathematics is a predominant one still. The most recent articles in the Province and 24Hours newspaper further contribute to the mentality that theoretical higher education is not what will lead students to be hired and become "successful", whatever that means.