Mathematics K–12 – Rationale

The British Columbia Mathematics curriculum aims to ensure that citizens are numerate and have mathematical habits of mind. The curriculum develops skills and processes that citizens can use to critically analyze information and provides the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built.

The Mathematics curriculum has been designed to develop deep mathematical understanding and fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought, and creative thinking. There is a focus on concepts related to number sense, patterns and relations, spatial sense, and statistics and probability. Students actively investigate problems and find solutions. Throughout the K-12 Mathematics curriculum, students will develop a willingness to take risks, experiment, and make logical guesses. They will learn through both their successes and their failures, developing perseverance, competence, and confidence in mathematics.

Through the study of mathematics, students learn how to make accurate, informed, and ethical choices relating to the collection, analysis, and presentation of data. They learn how to make sound inferences and decisions through their experiences with problem solving in situational contexts. Throughout the Mathematics curriculum, students foster a strong numeracy foundation that is applicable in all areas of their lives.

Goals

The B.C. Mathematics curriculum contributes to students’ development as educated citizens through the achievement of the following goals. Students are expected to:

• develop a deep understanding of both factual (Content) and processed-based (Curricular Competencies) information, needed to solve complex problems
• reason mathematically, using their understanding of number, pattern, and spatial relationships and analyzing data in order to solve problems
• become financially literate, which supports and underpins sound financial decision making
• use flexible, effective, and personalized strategies to analyze and solve increasingly complex problems in situational contexts
• explore the connections between mathematics and other ways of knowing, such as First Peoples knowledge and other worldviews
• develop the perseverance and confidence to apply mathematical thinking in various abstract and concrete contexts
• view and navigate their world with a mathematical perspective
• develop a capacity for abstract thinking, which includes the critical thinking skills necessary for understanding global issues in society