Individualised Support for Stronger Outcomes in Mathematics

Head of Faculty Learning Enhancement & Support, Melanie McCabe 

Head of Faculty Mathematics & Numeracy (Acting), Sean McInerney

At Mount Alvernia College, we believe in providing our students with “high support, and high challenge”. This means that the classroom is both an engaging and interesting environment, but also a safe and empowering one. 

Mathematics is a very incremental subject – what you learn in one year is built upon in the next. As a result, students who have a difficult year, or even a difficult term, may find themselves feeling like the challenge dial is set to ‘very high’. We aim to bridge this gap as much as possible and our Year 8 students are rising to the challenge!

The Year 8 Curriculum Support – Numeracy Intervention program allows identified students to engage in the level of mathematics that is suitable to their current understanding and experience.  Our goal is for students to feel supported as they build their knowledge and understanding – meeting them ‘where they are at’.

The class uses the learning support tool Maths Pathways, to identify the student’s current level of understanding and then provides individualised learning tasks appropriate to their level. The class size is small and is taught by our Head of Learning Support and Enhancement, Mrs Melanie McCabe. Melanie has made it an extra focus to help transform attitudes towards mathematics, aiming to increase the excitement around mathematics and allow students to find joy in small improvements.

For students and families in other years that also feel like they need additional support in mathematics, we also offer Academic Mentoring and Support, provided by teachers, academic mentors (past students) and senior students in the afternoons at school. See the schedulelinked here.

For any advice about what the best approach is, or for further information about anything discussed in this article, feel free to email: mcins@staff.mta.qld.edu.au