This thesis explores the ways in which two mathematics teachers interpreted and implemented thinking-focused pedagogy in their respective classrooms. The teachers worked in two different types of secondary schools - an upgraded high and a traditional high school - the former situated in rural Jamaica and the latter situated in the capital city, Kingston. The fieldwork was conducted using a qualitative case study and took place during the period September 2002 to August 2003.

Mathematics is becoming increasingly more important for the growth and development of every society. At the same time, many Jamaicans express disquiet about students' performance in mathematics, and the extent to which they acquire the mathematical skills needed to function, according to Drucker (1997), as "knowledge workers" and productive citizens. In response, classroom teachers at the secondary level argue that they do not have enough resources to teach mathematics effectively, to achieve the goals and objectives of the curriculum.

The article uses action research techniques to explore a recycling initiative to assist teachers to acquire and use instructional materials to improve practice in the mathematics classroom. It shares aspects of my researchjourney into the 'World of Waste' accompanied by my team of pre-service and in-service teacher-participants, in search of mathematics resources. It brings into focus the physical and human resource treasures we unearthed amidst challenges and triumphs, with the Recycling and Resource Centre for Mathematics emerging as a significant find near the end of the journey.

This research investigated the impact of using manipulatives on 56 Grade 5 students’ (27 male, 29 female; age 10-11 years) mathematics achievement. A quasi experimental, action research design was utilized in which the experimental group was taught selected topics from the Number strand using manipulatives during a 3-week intervention, while the control group’s instruction did not include the use of manipulatives. Data were collected using a pre- and post-test and analysed using descriptive statistics and a Mann-Whitney U test.

This action research attempted to investigate the effect of integrating on students’ mathematics performance and environmental knowledge, atitudes and behaviour, and environmental education in mathematics classes. It involved two sample secondary schools and one sample primary school in under-resourced communities in Jamaica. A sample of four classes was conveniently selected. The action involved integration of environmental education in six mathematics lessons.

The aim of this study is to examine the psychological and environmental vari­ables which are related to the mathematics achievement of third-year students in Jamaican post-primary schools. A correlational study of the inter-relations of thirteen independent variables with the criterion, mathematics achievement, was factor-analysed to produce four factors which account for most of the variation in mathematical performance.

Curriculum development and evaluation activities are inextricably inter­woven. Evaluation gathers and systematically orders evidence so that teachers and other curriculum workers may make decisions about the state of the learner, about organising and teaching subject matter, and about learning-outcomes.

In 1967 the Jamaican Ministry of Education, through its Curriculum Committee, introduced a "modern" mathematics programme in the then recently established Junior Secondary schools. The Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT) in Mathematics is one of the tests used by the Ministry of Education to select students from the grade nine population in Junior Secondary and All Age schools for second cycle secondary education in High schools and Technical schools. Since 1970 this test has reflected the change in content of the Junior Secondary mathematics syllabus.

This quasi-experimental mixed method research attempts to investigate the effects of integrating peace education into the mathematics curriculum. A sample of 4 classes from 4 sample secondary schools in representative areas of Jamaica was selected. The treatment involved integrating peace education into a unit of mathematics lessons on statistics. The quantitative data were obtained through pre-test and post-test on mathematics. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews, student questionnaire surveys, classroom observation, and student and teachers’ reflections.

The intervention, Camp Summer Plus (CSP), was initiated by the USAID/Jamaica Basic Education Project in an effort to raise the performance of grade three students requiring remediation in reading and mathematics. The five-week summer programmes were informed by the Earl Phalen Summer Advantage Programme which has been successfully implemented in the USA since 2009. The camps were held in 2011 and 2012.