本文舉證數學教育前賢，在半世紀前就自發提出素養觀念，開始形塑臺灣的數學教育理想。接著，在闡述臺灣數學教育之素養理念的傳承脈絡之後，說明十二年國教「素養導向」的課程理念，可以詮釋為數學教育探索「理想」數學課程的持續努力。但是，數學教育並非以不變回應素養課程的理念，而是在脈絡之中傳承現況而做出調整。第參節綜合整理了影響臺灣數學課程的五項理念，並依這些項目提出立足於現有理念與特徵之上的反思。在探討了跨世代的變與不變之後，作者所受的啟示有二：一是對歷史的檢視與省思，有機會看清課程發展中曾經落入某理念之極端而又試圖予以平衡的歷程，而這個謀求中庸之道的歷程，可能提供我們繼續探索理想課程的一條進路；二是數學教育學者在引入先進國家之理念時，亦應關注於本國問題特徵的研究。

This article shows that the mathematics educators in Taiwan came up with the idea of mathematical literacy and the ideal curriculum for mathematical education since half an century ago. Once the context of Taiwan’s native ideology of mathematical literacy is understood, the current movement of the literacy- or competency-oriented curriculum of 12- year basic education policy can be interpreted as an continuation of the pursuit for the ideal mathematics curriculum over the past 50 years. However, it does not mean that mathematics educators today do not respond for the new movement; it means that they modify the endeavours along the traditional approach. Five important issues that affected Taiwan’s mathematics education are raised in section three, and the author refl ected the issues basing on the current beliefs of an ideal mathematics education. The author concludes with what he learned in this study. First, a historical review of curricular developments can show us a way to a better way of curriculum design. Secondly, researchers in Taiwan could have paid more attention on our own problems.