Around the KLA's (Key Learning Areas)
FEATURE KLA - Mathematics
Mr Stephen Chapman
Our Mathematics Department which comprises 10 teaching staff is coordinated by myself. Some of these teachers work in other KLA's as well.
Mathematics Teaching Staff: Brian Allerton, Mellissa Bell, Stephen Chapman, Kath Czinner, Mark Fulloon, Mark Harris, Shane McCann, Peter McLeish, Melanie Sampson, Ian Tonkin.
Mathematics is humming along nicely at O’Connor so far in 2020. Students are working well and moving their learning forward.
Mathematics Department Strategic Plan
The Mathematics teachers have developed a Mathematics Department Strategic Plan for 2020 with three goals. Here are the goals for us as teachers:
Goal 1
To work on assessment and feedback ideas so students know where they are at and where they are going.
Goal 2
Focus on using rich tasks in lessons
(and decreasing the amount of teacher talk).
Goal 3
To build on the good work done together already and collaborate as a mathematics department both formally and informally.
Year 7 have begun their studies in Mathematics enthusiastically. Some hard-working attempted the Problem of Year. This is an annual problem that asks students to rearrange the four digits in the year (2020) with mathematical operations between them to calculate to give the numbers from 1 to 20. For example, 2 + 0 x 2 - 0 gives 2. Anyway, it was soon discovered that 2020 won’t work as there aren’t enough different digits. So, they worked on the year they will finish school in Year 12 instead: 2025. By working through this task, students learn about order of operations and several properties of numbers.
In other Year 7 news, a group of specially selected students are working on their basic numeracy skills for two weeks with Yr 7 Maths teacher Mr McCann while the other students work through the angles unit. They are having fun learning valuable skills while playing games and completing challenges.
Students from all years have been invited to play the Sharemarket Game. This is an Australian-wide competition run by the ASX. Students are given $50 000 to buy shares of their choice and play for around 8 weeks. The winners are those students with the portfolio worth the most at the end of the game. Real cash prizes are given to the winners. Good luck to those who are participating. The game started on March 12, but it’s not too late to join. Just email Mr Chapman on schapman@arm.catholic.edu.au. As school captain Liam Smith said: “You have to be in it to win it!”.
Some of the desks in the Ursula Building are now whiteboard desks. These include the desks outside in the break-out area in the hallway. Here are some photos showing students using this resource to work on solutions.
PHOTO: Laura Hayes, Georgie Burton and Hamish Biddle working on a Blood Alcohol Content HSC question during the Algebra unit in Year 11 Mathematics Standard.
PHOTO: (below) Isabella Kennedy and Bethany Rhode using a whiteboard table during Year 12 Maths Ext 1
Student Work Sample
Now, for a sample of student work. Everybody knows the numbers that make up the Fibonacci Sequence. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ….. The next number in the pattern is found by adding the previous two numbers (after starting with two ones). Well, the Year 12 Mathematics Extension 2 (a class of four super-smart mathematicians named Kieran, Liam, Henry and Bethanie) recently PROVED it by mathematical induction. Here’s Bethanie Rice’s solution. If you have any questions following it, ask her for help.
PHOTO: Bethanie Rice's mathematical proof for the Fibonacci Sequence.
PHOTO: Henry Schultz, Liam Smith and Kieran Wicks working on their Year 12 Extension Maths.
Where are they now? Sophie Doyle
During the week, Mr Chapman caught up with ex-student Sophie Doyle.
What Year did you complete the HSC?
2016
Where are you now? What are you studying/doing?
I am living on the Gold Coast, and am studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. I also work at Reece Plumbing.
What have been your biggest achievements since leaving school?
My biggest achievement would have been leaving my hometown and moving to the Gold Coast - it has been the best decision I ever made! I am studying a degree I love, and not having the support of living with my family has made me grow as a person and be organised in all aspects of my life in order to keep on top of working, running a home, studying and going to the gym (even if this means 4am to fit it all in) and spending time with my amazing partner Jared.
If you were to give HSC students some advice to succeed in their final year what would it be?
My advice would be to be as organised as possible. Have separate folders for each unit you’re studying, and a second for each which you put summaries of the week’s main notes for each class, and answers for the syllabus dot points for each unit because that is all that your exams can be based around. This allows you to not have a bunch of papers that you need to sort through to study, instead you have already made a set of study notes as you go, eliminating stress when exam time comes around.
I would also say to not leave things to the last minute. As soon as you are told about an assessment, set it out on a blank piece of paper or Word document and put down dot points as you go. This makes it a lot easier, and also a lot less stressful for you too.
What did you do that worked for you so well in Mathematics General?
I studied consistently, and made sure I made weekly summaries. Asking for help if you don’t understand something is so important, and then doing practice questions.
I found if I could answer all of the practice questions I did, I felt a lot less pressured.
What’s next for you?
Graduating uni!
Any final words of advice to O’Connor students?
Enjoy your school holidays! Most of us don’t get that much time off in the working world! And don’t care what others think of you, the only opinion that matters is your own so don’t try and act cool or not try hard in class because people will call you a “nerd”. Your real friends will support you no matter what!
FEATURE TEACHER
Meet Mr Shane McCann
PHOTO: Mr Shane McCann demonstrating an experiment to a Year 8 student during Science on Tuesday.
Mr Shane McCann has recently joined the O'Connor teaching community. We asked him a few questions...
What is your full name? Shane McCann. I don’t have a middle name! (Although I did choose Patrick as my confirmation name.)
What years and subjects are you teaching?
I teach Maths to Year 7, 8 and 12; Year 7 Science; Year 8 Digital Technology and Year 10 iSTEM.
Where have you lived?
Ireland, England, San Francisco (only for 6 weeks!), Guatemala (4 months). In Australia, I’ve lived in Trangie, the Central Coast and now I’ll be calling Armidale home for the foreseeable future!
What are your hobbies and interests?
I was big into the soccer when I was living back home in Ireland; both coaching and playing. I’ve got back into reading a bit again too. I like to travel. Snooker, chess, poker. Psychology! People are interesting.
Which Mr Men character would best describe you?
To be honest I’ve had to do a quick google search here of the Mr. Men characters; I suppose it would be Mr. Adventure!
What do you like most about O’Connor?
It’s just a great school! There’s a great energy about the place. The students are brilliant. There are high expectations of students and their attitude towards learning. There is great camaraderie (and collaboration) amongst the staff.
Is there anything you don’t understand about Australia?
Why did ye all go out and buy toilet paper???
PHOTO: Mr McShane nutting out some maths problems with his Year 7 class this week.
