Comprehensive School Mathematics Program

As a result, it includes much of the content generally required for an undergraduate mathematics major.

These two curricula are unrelated to one another, but certain members of the CSMP staff contributed to the development of both projects.

The CSMP project was established in 1966, under the direction of Burt Kaufman, who remained director until 1979, succeeded by Clare Heidema.

The CSMP project employs four non-verbal languages for the purpose of posing problems and representing mathematical concepts: the Papy Minicomputer (mental computation), Arrows (relations), Strings (classification), and Calculators (patterns).

The curriculum uses a spiral structure and philosophy, providing students chances to learn materials at different times and rates.

The curriculum introduced many basic concepts such as fractions and integers earlier than normal.

One character in these books was Eli the Elephant, a pachyderm with a bag of magic peanuts, some representing positive integers and some negative.

Students are instructed to represent values on the Minicomputers by adding checkers to the proper squares.

Burt Kaufman, a mathematics curriculum specialist, headed the team at Southern Illinois University writing CSMP.

In July 1993, he started the Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (IMACS) with his son and two colleagues.

IMACS is a private education business focusing on the instruction of students from first grade through high school.