School knowledge, cross-curricularity and teamwork teaching in the Greek primary school: Mathematics education as discursive practice

Abstract

Through analysis of exercises offered in mathematics textbooks, this article investigates the discursive practice of cross-curricularity and group work teaching that was advocated in the 2007 reform of mathematics education in Greek primary schools. The conclusion of the research is that the organisation of school knowledge is vertical, and strong classification and strong framing boundaries characterise it. This structure prevents any attempt to take a cross-curricular approach to knowledge management, thus sedating simultaneously any group work method of teaching, as advocated in the discourse. Furthermore, the research supports that the high centralisation of the Greek educational system, with one textbook used exclusively to teach subjects across the country, suffocates any effort to open the classification and framing of school knowledge and de-skills teachers. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.