Learning and Teaching News

In our classrooms from Foundation to Year 6, students have been taking part in building their mathematical fluency skills. In Mathematics, fluency means that students can understand the relationships between numbers, choose efficient strategies, build automaticity, speed and accuracy so that they can solve mathematical tasks with confidence.

In alignment with the MACS Vision for instruction, at SMDP, we are practicing mathematical fluency to ensure that students can recall addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts quickly and accurately. To build on our current fluency practices in the classroom, we have adopted two new fluency programs, one to build number sense through addition and subtraction called ‘Numbots’ and the other to build connections and recall of multiplication and division facts called ‘Times Tables Rock Stars’. In the classroom, teachers will use these platforms interwoven with other fluency practices that match current topics being taught.

The beauty of these platforms is that they are able to be accessed and used at home! This learning is beneficial as your child will work at their own pace and ability. Today your child will have brought home a flyer with their log in and parent information letter advising how to use the platform. The letter contains information about the different game types and step by step instructions on how to log in from home. It also has frequently asked questions to support you in the first instance if your login does not work the first time.

Daily use of Times Tables Rock Stars and Numbots platforms forms part of your child’s home learning for mathematics. It is important that the fluency practice is independent and that answering isn’t completed by you. This will result in questions building in difficulty beyond your child’s ability. As your child's speed and accuracy builds, so will their question difficulty. It is recommended that fluency is practiced in small time frames of 3-5 minutes and completed daily. Whilst any student has the ability to access either platform, below are our recommended platforms for each level.