The 'Two Basics' Mathematics Teaching Approach and the Open Ended Problem Solving in China

There is a tradition of advocating the 'two basics' (basic knowledge and basic skills) in Chinese mathematics education. The direct consequence is that Chinese students are able to produce excellent performance in the international mathematics examinations and outstanding results in the international mathematics competitions. In this article, we will present why and how Chinese teachers teach the 'two basics,' and how combine the pupil's creativity with their 'two basics.' Open ended problem solving is a way to meet the goal. The following topics will be concerned: Culture background; the speed of computation; 'make perfect' ; Efficiency in classroom; Balance between 'two basics' and personal development. In Particular, Chinese mathematics educators pay more attentions to the link between open ended problem solving and the 'two basics' principal.