Sppech at RECSAM

     I have attended SEARS-MT workshop which has developed the standards for mathematics teachers in Southeast Asia. This is very interesting experience. The document itself is yet to be
finalized. I would like to share the vote of thanks and a picture.
      

     Director, Dr. Hj. Mohd Johan bin Zakaria, Deputy Director, Ms. Foo Lay Kuan, the coordinator, Dr. Cheah Ui Hock, international consultant professors, distinguished countries experts, colleagues in RECSAM, ladies and gentlemen,

     I feel honored to convey my words of appreciation by representing the team of national and international consultants. It was just a few days ago when we came here in this room to start greeting each other and imagining what is going to happen from now. These three and half days were very fulfilling. We spend the time very intensively here in this room and also outside this room.

     First of all, thank you very much, dear director, for your understanding of the importance of this workshop and support. I thank you for the RECSAM’s initiative to take a lead in this significant work of developing teachers’ standards in ASEAN countries of diversity at the critical time of pre-economic integration period.

     Dr. Cheah, your superb chairmanship has guided this difficult discussion efficiently so that it never deviates much from the due course, but at the same time ensure the participation of all members. Thank you very much for your dedicated work, and also even tourist guiding after the serious work.

     Country experts, your contribution is really valuable. Those comments and opinions make the professional discussion possible. Indeed the discussion has been very productive. Thank you very much for your contribution. And I am sure that after this workshop your contribution will be more valuable and you will be determined to play an important role to implement this. We are looking forward to seeing the development in each of your country.

     Fellow international experts are really helpful not only in guiding us professionally and language-wise but also showing us a professional model to emulate. Such a professional and compassionate stance is only possible if you have enough professional knowledge and deep understanding of this ASEAN context of diversity and culture. Thank you very much.

     Lastly but not least thank you very much for all RECSAM members. Without your tireless supports, this workshop never becomes such a smooth and productive one. We are able to stay here comfortably and concentrate on discussion without worrying about anything else.

     I think teachers are generally very deep thinkers. If you say them what to do, they won’t listen to you directly but think deeply what is implied. Especially currently in all countries they are under extreme pressure of accountability. They are always asked for the document and assessment. We have to understand the difficulty and sensitivity of their work. And with that understanding, I hope that you will lead and guide the mathematics education community in these teachers’ standards, which we have developed.

     I like the UNESCO report of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, Learning: the treasure within. I really think learning is the very important aspect of human being for us to be creative. And during this workshop, this learning was very notable. We have learned each other about the countries’ differences and common aspiration and problems to be overcome. When you apply these standards, we need your leadership in guiding the community and overcoming problems.

     Last night I was browsing the report. I found out many tensions to overcome in order to realize the ideals of the education. The very first tension among all was the following:

• The tension between the global and the local: people need gradually to become world citizens without losing their roots and while continuing to play an active part in the life of their nation and their local community.

     Here we need being local and being global at the same time. For this, we have a creative word “glocal”.

     Throughout this workshop, I have insisted on Professional communities. I think this workshop is a realization of such professional communities in the sense of glocal. We are always conscious about the cultural differences of each country and at the same time we have made the best efforts to come up with the common standards for ASEAN countries. Surprisingly, in Japan, we don’t have common standards. Maybe in future we shall import the idea of SEARS.

     I have to apologize one thing to you. I have tried to make arrangement with the Japanese textbook company (Keirinkan) to give one copy of translated versions of Japanese mathematics textbooks to each participant. The books arrived at the country on Monday already but due to some problems they have not arrived here. Dr. Cheah suggested helping me in giving you this even after the workshop. I hope that you will be able to receive the copy sooner or later.

     In this textbook, we tried to practice the glocal spirit. We translated the Japanese text into English but tried to retain and convey some Japanese context of mathematics education. One example is that our number system is based on four digit system of ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, and mans, which mean ten thousands. And every four digit the number repeats unlike the English every three digits it repeats. We try to retain some of these characteristics as much as possible. You will see this in the translated textbooks.

     I am sure that SEARS (MT) document will play a guiding role in improving the quality of mathematics education from now on. Today is the very first step toward new era of such a new approach in the area of mathematics education.

     By saying “thank you” once again for all people concerned. Maybe one year later or so, let us meet again. Until then, I wish you the very best for everybody.

 

July 5^th, 2013

Takuya Baba, Hiroshima University