Mathematics News

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) aims to become ‘the benchmark for excellence in teaching and learning, through a coherently integrated, academically competitive and distinctively Catholic educational offering’ (MACS 2030: Forming Lives to Enrich the World).

The Flourishing Learners position statement, Vision for Instruction, is a key document aligned with the MACS 2030 strategic plan. The Vision for Instruction has been crafted to communicate MACS’ preferred system-wide approach to achieving teaching and learning excellence. It is firmly grounded in the evidence of how students learn most effectively and efficiently, offering explicit guidance for MACS schools on instructional best practice.

This Vision for Instruction has been designed to support our schools with clear guidance on instructional best practice, ensuring a consistent approach to teaching and learning excellence across our system.

Vision for Mathematics Instruction

Mathematics involves developing an understanding of numbers and quantity, operations, patterns, space, measurement, and shapes. It builds in complexity, which means that early performance in mathematics relates to future performance. Access to high-quality mathematics instruction can improve student attitudes towards mathematics and change trajectories of student outcomes and pathways (The Meadows Center 2017). High-quality mathematics instruction is essential.

The following recommendations are based on evidence-based practices for mathematics:

• Develop number sense: Teach students what quantities and numbers mean and how to represent them with objects and numerals. For example, use number lines, get students to count fluently, and compare amounts. 

• Build fluency: Ensure that students have fluency with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 

• Teach mathematics concepts: Help students to understand mathematics concepts. Teach the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of mathematics in combination with procedures and rules. 

• Use concrete materials: Get students to use hands-on materials and visual representations to show concepts and procedures. 

• Use problem-solving strategies: Explicitly teach problem-solving and reasoning strategies. Teach students how to read problems and organise work according to the structure of the problem. 

• Use explicit instruction: Use explicit instruction when introducing new mathematics content and then gradually release responsibility to students. Model mathematics problems step-by-step and use guided practice, then independent practice with teacher feedback. Provide opportunities for students to explain their work and thinking in oral and written forms. 

• Use precise mathematics language: Encourage students to use correct mathematics language when verbalising explanations and steps for solving problems.

(MACS Vision for Instruction: Flourishing Learners position statement)

In 2024, St Cecilia's teaching staff are taking part in MACS professional learning opportunities around the mathematics curriculum. OCHRE Education is one quality teaching resource that we have been exploring.

Kate Sutherland, Mathematics Leader

ksutherland@scgleniris.catholic.edu.au