WHY DO WE LEARN THAT 2 + 2 = 4 WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHY? THE PROBLEM OF MEANING-MAKING IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Abstract. The article examines the nature of the problem of meaning-making in mathematics education and its impact on the mathematical thinking of primary school students. It argues that traditional teaching methods often rely merely on mechanical memorization, which hinders a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. The paper proposes that various contemporary pedagogical approac hes—constructivism, metacognitive instruction, real-life contexts, and cooperative learning—should be used to guide students towards concept-based learning. In the research section, the author’s personal observations and analytical perspective, as well as individual conclusions based on up-to-date scholarly sources, are presented. By providing theoretical foundations and practical recommendations for mathematics teachers to transition to conceptual instruction, the article contributes to improving the quality of the teaching–learning process. Observations and pedagogical practice indicate that traditional teaching methods often prioritize the mechanical memorization of rules and results rather than fostering an understanding of the underlying logic of mathematical concepts. This article analyzes contemporary pedagogical approaches such as constructivism, meta cognitive instruction, real-life context–based teaching, and cooperative learning, and substantiates their role in shaping concept-oriented mathematics education.
Keywords: primary school, mathematics education, meaning-making, construc tivism, pedagogical methodologies.
