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On Monday 23 June, Prof. Dr. Paul Drijvers said goodbye as professor of mathematics didactics at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ. In his farewell lecture, he presented ten guidelines for balanced mathematics education: a plea for balance between skills and insight, tradition and innovation, theory and practice. He advocates not getting bogged down in dogmas or a battle of directions, but joining forces to ensure that mathematics education prepares students for a complex, technological society.

Monday afternoon in the Academy Building - an informal setting, no gowns and no cortège. The farewell lecture took place in a fully packed Aula. This impressive turnout showed how much Paul Drijvers is appreciated in the world of mathematics education. The event was introduced by FI director Ralph Meulenbroeks and vice dean of education of the Faculty of Science Bert Klein Gebbink. They praised Paul's collegial, diplomatic and driven way of working and his importance to the Freudenthal Institute.

In the lecture, Paul focused on ten themes from his recently published textbook Didactics of Mathematics. The examples illustrated the rich field of research from Drijvers' career; ranging from the use of computer algebra and testing higher order skills, to making mathematical concepts tangible with multi-touch screens. Afterwards, the book Didactics of Mathematics was offered by Epsilon Publishers. In this textbook, intended for both teachers in training and experienced teachers, Drijvers' insights and experiences come together. The book is available (in Dutch)

On the morning of his lecture, Paul Drijvers spoke to NRC for an interview. In the conversation, Drijvers turns against the often polarized discussion between realistic and traditional arithmetic. He calls the distinction between the two movements paralyzing and instead advocates balance: both insight and skill, both meaningful context and practice.

In a world full of graphs, statistics and risk assessments, skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning are more important than ever. At the same time, practicing basic skills remains important, preferably in a smart or playful way. He is also critical of story problems that miss the mark: "You can come up with a nice story, but if it does not match reality, you miss your target."

The full interview (in Dutch) can be found .

The Freudenthal Institute thanks Paul Drijvers for his dedication, knowledge and commitment during his time at the institute. As emeritus professor, he remains involved in (supervision of) research and education.