Chicago movement

The Chicago movement was an educational reform initiative in Illinois during the early 20th century that attempted to create a unified mathematics curriculum in secondary schools. The movement represented one of the earliest systematic attempts to integrate different branches of mathematics in American education.^[1]

Overview

A Chicago secondary school

The Chicago movement emerged in Illinois secondary schools between 1890 and 1930, advocating for an integrated approach to teaching mathematics rather than maintaining traditional divisions between subjects like algebra and geometry. Proponents sought to demonstrate the interconnections between different mathematical topics and their practical applications.^[2][3] The movement reached its peak in Illinois secondary schools during the early 20th century, where it became known specifically as the "Chicago movement" due to its concentration in that area.^[1] According to Malaty, the movement faced criticism "because it did not care about the need for continuity of studying each branch, especially geometry, as a structure" and was ultimately considered "just a temporary fashion."^[3]

The primary concern of the Chicago movement was its attempt to break down the traditional compartmentalization of mathematical subjects in secondary education. Instead of teaching algebra, geometry, and other mathematical branches as separate disciplines, the movement promoted a more unified curriculum that emphasized the relationships between different mathematical concepts. The movement faced opposition from mathematics educators who argued that it undermined the systematic study of individual mathematical disciplines. Critics were particularly concerned about its impact on geometry education, contending that studying each branch as a coherent structure was essential for proper mathematical understanding.^[3]

The Chicago movement was relatively short-lived, with historians describing it as a "temporary fashion" in mathematics education.^[2] However, it raised important questions about mathematics curriculum integration that would resurface during the New Math movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The fundamental question it posed—how to balance integrated mathematical understanding with systematic study of individual branches—remains relevant to contemporary discussions of mathematics education reform.^[3]

See also

• Computer-based mathematics education
• Mathematics education
• Mathematics education in the United States
• New Math
• Education reform