Improving the Students’ Creativity in Chinese Mathematics Classrooms

This paper probes into qualities aiming at improving students’ creativity in mathematics learning and attempts to share Chinese experience of mathematical teaching. Based on the “Youth Innovation Competence Model”, we put forward six principles of mathematics creative teaching as follows: 1) encourage creative thinking; 2) make full use of representations and transformation of mathematical knowledge; 3) establish motivation, self-efficacy, and self-concept within students; 4) help students become self-regulated; 5) promote group interactions; and 6) implement open learning environment. With the utilization of six principles in mathematical teaching in Chinese classroom, the lesson Understanding of Long Cuboid and Cube of fifth grade shows that these principles can be perfectly implemented in driving problem, anchor task, and diagnostic assignment in mathematical teaching. Most importantly, students’ competence in innovation is greatly improved.