Solving Challenging Maths Tasks at DCC!

MAV Article showcasing the Grade 2's and 5's

Our mathematicians at Dohertys Creek have been working hard this year to build their understanding and combine and transfer their new maths knowledge and skills in focused problem-solving lessons. Teachers design these lessons which ask students to be strategic and plan an approach to solving a maths problem before acting out their plan and solving the problem. A focus for learners is articulating their plan and process and explaining the mathematical knowledge, skills, and strategies they used. This approach enhances mathematical learning and provides opportunity for collaboration and deep thinking.

As part of our program, consultant Michael Minas works with teachers and students across the college. Michael was the editor or Prime Magazine, a quarterly maths journal for the Mathematical Association of Victoria (MAV) and leading resource for primary teachers across the state. In his last editorial, Michael supplied pictures of our students (Skye and 2E and Jess with 5B), hard at work in their problem solving lessons, for an article on Challenging Tasks and their relationship with research informed high impact teaching strategies.  

This term, we will be visited by some other schools, who are really interested in the program we are building here at Dohertys Creek College. We are so very proud of our students and teachers and their continued work in this area and hope you enjoy this short read on the approach we are embedding for our students. 

Jess De Bono 

Leading Teacher (Maths)