Leading Teacher Update

Starting the Year with Numeracy

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Sophie and I am the Learning Specialist for Numeracy. There are many parts to my role, including supporting teachers with planning and in the classroom, leading professional learning for teachers, and currently preparing for the introduction of next year’s new Maths Curriculum.

Since the beginning of the year, FPS teachers and students have been focused on setting up maths routines, discussing what makes a great maths learner and playing lots of new maths games. 

One of the maths games that has been played in lots of classrooms recently is called Black Hole. Watch this video to learn how to play and challenge someone in your family to a game. Can you find a winning strategy? 

An important part of setting up the year has involved introducing students to the four proficiencies in maths:

1. Fluency
2. Reasoning 
3. Understanding 
4. Problem Solving

The proficiencies are an essential part of the Victorian Curriculum and therefore our mathematics teaching and learning. Becoming proficient in these areas will enable students to respond to familiar and unfamiliar situations, make informed decisions and solve increasingly complex problems efficiently. Students have been engaged in learning activities to help them think about what these proficiencies look like and sound like when we are using maths in our classrooms. 

These posters share some of their thoughts. 

~ Sophie Ratcliffe, Numeracy Learning Specialist