Struggling with physics and mathematics curricula based on the notion of function in the context of the educational reform in Poland

This paper concerns the relationship and co-ordination between physics and mathematics curricula. A new school reform was introduced in Poland in 2017. The 3-level system: primary school (grades 1-6) – middle school (grades 7-9) – high school (grades 10-12 or 13) has been replaced by a 2-level system: primary school (grades 1-8) and high school (grades 9-12 or 13). Two types of national school curricula are simultaneously in use in Poland since 2017. A comparison between the two existing curricula in Poland provides for interesting implications in the context of mathematics and physics education. In our analysis, special interest will be given to the notion of function. As it turns out, at the new primary school level, a physics teacher has to be a mathematics teacher as well, because the notion of function is not introduced anymore at that level during mathematics lessons despite it being a necessary tool for use during physics lessons.This paper concerns the relationship and co-ordination between physics and mathematics curricula. A new school reform was introduced in Poland in 2017. The 3-level system: primary school (grades 1-6) – middle school (grades 7-9) – high school (grades 10-12 or 13) has been replaced by a 2-level system: primary school (grades 1-8) and high school (grades 9-12 or 13). Two types of national school curricula are simultaneously in use in Poland since 2017. A comparison between the two existing curricula in Poland provides for interesting implications in the context of mathematics and physics education. In our analysis, special interest will be given to the notion of function. As it turns out, at the new primary school level, a physics teacher has to be a mathematics teacher as well, because the notion of function is not introduced anymore at that level during mathematics lessons despite it being a necessary tool for use during physics lessons.