NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS: PROBLEMS AND REFORMATION ALTERNATIVES

This paper is a conceptual paper of a result of literature reviews, observations, reflections, and opinions on the numbers and operations both at preservice primary school teachers and at primary school teachers and students. The opinion expressed in this paper was based on the comparison between literatures review and the actual need of today's mathematics at school. The ideas are strengthened by observation, discussion with mathematics lecturers in primary teacher education department, preservice primary school teachers, and primary school teachers. The results of observation were also compared to the previous research findings at local and international levels. From all source of information, it suggests that students' performance on numbers and operations is still far from expectation. The consequence of these phenomena is the need for reformation on both the teaching approaches and the taught contents.