Mathematics in Transition: Reflections on Teacher Training by the Municipal Secretariat of São Paulo (1970)

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristics of mathematics teacher training proposed by the Municipal Secretariat of Education of São Paulo during the 1970s, amidst the context of the Modern Mathematics Movement (MMM). The research analyzes official documents from the City Hall, including regulations, manuals, and pedagogical materials, to understand how the guidelines of the MMM were adapted and applied in teacher training. The identified materials suggest an effort to incorporate innovative pedagogical practices, such as the use of flannel boards, manipulatives, and everyday situations to make mathematics teaching more meaningful. Grounded in concepts from Cultural History, the study explores the relationship between mathematical knowledge and teaching practice, revealing a period of transition in which multiple approaches were combined to promote a more intuitive and reflective teaching. The analysis shows that the Municipal Secretariat of São Paulo sought to adapt the principles of the MMM to local realities, reflecting this adaptation in its regulations and didactic resources, with the goal of improving the quality of mathematics education in the municipal school system.