Mathematics News

Dear families,

Thank you for your participation in the recent MACSSIS survey. We had 44 families respond, which is over double the amount that responded last year. So thank you for providing that feedback to ensure that we have a more comprehensive understanding of what Mother Teresa means to you, identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in our school, and providing valuable community insights on areas that we can focus on.

Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO)

Just recently, some of our Year 5 and Year 6 students completed their participation for this year in the Junior Division Maths Olympiad, which is an inter-school competition specifically designed to challenge students in Years 5 and 6. The Olympiad comprises four separate contests held approximately six weeks apart, starting in early Term 2. Each contest paper involves 5 questions that presents the students with a wide variety of problems, designed to challenge and extend them individually.  The aim is to provide a level playing field for all students, while encouraging them to think independently in solving  the problems presented.

Another group of Year 5 and Year 6 students also completed their participation for this year in the Maths Games Competition for Year 5 and Year 6. Unlike the Maths Olympiads, students participating in the Maths Games do not compete against teams from other schools. The primary focus of the program is to build students’ confidence and encourage them to learn and develop their problem solving skills in a non-competitive environment. Maths Games runs along the same schedule as the Maths Olympiad and comprises four ‘contest’ papers, held approximately six weeks apart, starting in early Term 2.  Each paper focuses on the application of two distinct problem solving strategies, starting with the least challenging in the first paper and progressing to more challenging concepts through the year.  

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Maths Olympiad and Maths Games this year! It was wonderful to see their persistence, enthusiasm and creativity as they tackled a range of challenging and complex mathematical problems. Their willingness to think deeply, try different strategies and persevere when problems became tricky is something to be celebrated. Well done to all our budding mathematicians!

To everyone, I wish you a wonderful and relaxing holiday. It has been wonderful to see the children’s growth, learning and development this term, and I look forward to seeing them continue to flourish as we head into our final term. Enjoy the break, recharge and make the most of this special time together. I look forward to seeing you all again in Term 4!

Kind regards,

Conchita Thomas