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Stella Baruk
Si 7 = 0. Quelles mathématiques pour l'école ?
Stella Baruk is known for her uncompromising criticism of the way mathematics is taught at school. She sees children's frequent aversion to the subject as a clear demonstration of the failure of current methods. Following her earlier book, L'Age du Capitaine, in which she denounced the meaningless mathematical problems that children were burdened with and enjoined to solve, she now addresses the difficulties encountered by the new generation of the captain's children. She has reproduced pages from the exercise books of primary school pupils, with a commentary underlining the confusion created by modern maths in the minds of children who are not yet familiar with mathematics. Her message is clear: the fault lies not in modern maths, but in the fact that the cart has been put before the horse. Modern maths was created to generalise operations and structures that recur in every aspect of mathematics, and modern maths cannot be correctly understood without the full mastery of those operations and structures. Yet, the teaching of mathematics has been turned on its head, with the abstract being taught before the concrete and the general before the specific - with the result that empty formalism is all that is being passed on. Baruk's very precise analyses, illustrated with specific examples, will help parents understand their children's mistakes and difficulties, so that they can help them overcome them. Stella Baruk is a mathematics teacher and pedagogical researcher.
Jean Bénichou, Marc Libotte
The Book of Feet and Walking
Do you have flat feet ? Hollow feet ? How can deviations of the toe be treated ? Sprains ? How can you look after the nails and the skin ? How should you treat athletes foot ? What to make of reflexology ? Why are the feet of children, athletes and senior citizens so fragile ? How is the marvel of bipedalism possible ? What is the position of the foot in our culture ? Dr Jean Bénichou and Professor Marc Libotte are orthopaedic surgeons, specialising in foot surgery.
Jacques Lesourne, Denis Randet
Research and Innovation in France FutuRIS 2011
With a view to the 2011 French presidential elections, here are a series of proposals that offer the middle classes the future perspectives they deserve
Robert Dautray, Jacques Lesourne
Humanity and the Challenge of Climate Change
A thorough examination of current scientific data concerning the evolution of climate change and related phenomena.
