A brief course in the teaching process

by George D. Strayer

References: Smith, The Teaching of Arithmetic, New York, 1909, chap. i; and in general the sections in this syllabus correspond to the chapters in this work. The Teaching of Elementary Mathematics, New York, 1900. Ball, A Primer of the History of Mathematics, London, 1895, and A Short Account of the History of Mathematics, London, 4th edition, 1908. Fink, History of Mathematics, translated by Bennan and Smith, Chicago, 1900. Cajori, History of Elementary Mathematics, New York, 1896, and History of Mathematics, New York, 1893. On Greek Arithmetic see Gow, History of Greek Mathematics, Cambridge, 1884.

II. The Reasons for Teaching Arithmetic

1. The Ancient Point of View.

2. Content of the Primitive Logistic, or Art of Calculation.

a. Early counting.

b. Early writing of numbers. The development of notations.

c. The Influence of the Hindu-Arabic notation.

3. Content of the Early Arithmetic, or Theory of Numbers.

a. Connection with mysticism.

b. Contributions of Pythagoras and his school.