The Potential of Mathematics Lessons as “education for critical citizenship” in Tatsuya Watanabe’s Sense ²⁾: Through an Illustrative Example of a Mathematics Lesson for Introducing Negative Numbers to Japanese Seventh-grade Students

Abstract

　　 This document introduces a mathematics teacher’s learning from T. Watanabe’s book, Critical Citizenship in School: Curriculum, Achievement, and Teachers. In this document, the author presents an illustrative example of a mathematics lesson for introducing negative numbers to Japanese seventh-grade students and argues that education for critical citizenship in Watanabe’s sense is achievable in mathematics lessons. Through analyzing the mathematics lesson, the author also argues that he realizes (1) the social construction of mathematical essence and (2) lesson design, which balances a conservative attitude toward the value of academic mathematics and a reformist attitude toward “mathematics” in society. As an implication from this document for education for critical citizenship, the author suggests that the concept of education for critical citizenship should be further elaborated, or researchers should reconsider the domain-specific contribution of social studies education to education for critical citizenship.