A major component of the child-centered, systematic teaching approach is content. The discipline of mathematics presents many challenges to dissimilar learners. Mathematics has often been termed the “gatekeeper” of success or failure for high school graduation and career success (National Research Council [NRC] 1989). It is essential that “mathematics become a pump rather than filter in the pipeline of American education”. A lack of sufficient mathematical skill and understanding affects one’s ability to make critically important educational, life, and career decisions.
The Gap Between Learner and Subject Matter When the mathematics content being taught is unconnected to students’ ability level and/or experiences, serious achievement gaps result. This situation may occur if students are absent frequently or transfer to another school during the academic year. A student may find the mathematics curriculum to be more advanced or paced differently than what was being taught in the previous school. Without intervention strategies, students could remain “lost” for the duration of their education. Too few life experiences, such as trips to neighborhood stores or opportunities to communicate with others about numbers through practical life examples, can make math irrelevant for students. Gaps exist, therefore, not only in the curriculum but between the learner and perceived usefulness of the subject matter. When giving out instructions to students, we must also consider to give the instruction loud and clear since not all students can inertly comprehend the instructions of the lesson carefully.