Learning and Teaching
Numeracy:
How We Teach Mathematics at School of the Good Shepherd
At our school, we are committed to providing every student from Prep to Year 6 with a strong foundation in Mathematics. Our Mathematics lessons are structured using Explicit Instruction, an approach that provides students with clear explanations, modelling, guided practice and opportunities to apply their learning independently.
Every Mathematics lesson begins with Daily Review
Our lessons begin with approximately 10 minutes of Daily Review. This is an important part of our approach because it gives students regular opportunities to revisit and strengthen previously taught knowledge and skills.
Rather than only practising what has been taught recently, our Daily Review includes interleaved and spaced practice from different units and concepts taught throughout the year. This helps students retain important mathematical knowledge and develop fluency, while also allowing teachers to identify areas that may need further attention.
Explicit Teaching – I Do, We Do, You Do
Following the Daily Review, teachers introduce and explicitly teach the new mathematical concept or skill. Our lessons generally move through the gradual release process of:
I Do – We Do – You Do
- I Do: The teacher clearly explains and models the new concept or skill, thinking aloud and demonstrating effective mathematical strategies.
- We Do: Students work alongside the teacher to practise the skill. The teacher provides guidance, questioning and feedback, addressing misconceptions as they arise.
- You Do: Once students have demonstrated sufficient understanding, they move towards independent practice, applying their learning themselves.
Importantly, students do not simply move through these stages because a set amount of time has passed. Teachers use ongoing checks for understanding to determine when students are ready to move from one stage to the next.
Active participation and checking for understanding
We believe that students learn best when they are actively involved in the lesson, rather than simply listening to their teacher. We therefore use a range of engagement strategies, including individual whiteboards, questioning, partner discussion, worked examples and opportunities to explain mathematical thinking.
These strategies allow teachers to see what all students understand, rather than relying on answers from only the students who put their hands up. This enables teachers to provide immediate feedback, address misconceptions and adjust their teaching when necessary.
Building confident mathematicians
Our goal is not simply for students to complete mathematical tasks. We want students to develop secure mathematical knowledge, fluency, problem-solving skills and confidence. Through consistent Daily Review, explicit teaching, guided practice, active participation and independent application, students are given repeated opportunities to build upon what they already know and successfully acquire new mathematical understanding.
Susan Mitchell
Prep-6 Maths Leader
Library News:
WEEK 7
Book Week is one of the highlights of our year and we can't wait to celebrate reading together!
This year's Children's Book Week theme is:
Symphony of Stories
Students can look forward to an exciting week of literacy celebrations, including:
Book Week Parade
Scholastic Book Fair in the Library
Becoming an Author — every student will experience the full writing process by: Planning, drafting, , editing, revising conferencing and then publishing their very own book to share in ONE WEEK!
Meet the Author Celebration — families will be invited to visit our school and enjoy reading our students' published books together.
Scholastic Book Fair
Our annual Scholastic Book Fair is here!
Monday 24 August - Monday 31 August