Learning and Teaching 

Mathematics

Learning skills and strategies in Mathematics is more than just recalling facts. It is vital that students develop reasoning, problem solving, understanding and fluency when approaching school and real world maths. These elements are referred to as the Four Proficiencies in Mathematics. Each fortnight we will highlight one of these elements and showcase how you can use these at home.

This week: Reasoning - The glue that holds all of it together!

Reasoning involves curiosity and investigative skills, enabling us to become mathematical thinkers. This is developed through actively searching for meaning through exploring, questioning, analysing, explaining and justifying.

When we reason, we develop the capacity to discern our thoughts. This discernment engages our growing mathematical repertoire, helps us to value and learn from errors and make sense of our learning.

Children develop as curious and investigative mathematical when they:

• Work on open ended problems that have more than one solution,
• Hear adults talking aloud and wondering as they solve problems,
• Celebrate success in working out problems using different strategies, not just celebrating correct answers,
• Embrace mistakes as opportunities to learn,
• Share and discuss different ways to approach and solve problems,
• Math problems are intriguing, interesting or are ‘real world’ problems.

Try solving this one as a family: 

A CITY OF HOUSES

(from Nrich website)

The Victorian curriculum has a website that families can access for support and ideas to help your child with their learning at home 

1,2,3,4 Numeracy guide for families

What’s on in the Indonesian Class

Bu Dixon has entered the year 2's in the Sandhurst Languages Film Festival. 

The Year 2 classes have been learning a song about Murray Cod. Bu Dixon wrote this song to the tune of '5 Little Ducks went out one day'. As well as singing the song the Year 2s have also been illustrating their song booklets.

From the Indo Gurus

Year 2 recount

Last Tuesday 2SRI and 2LLA participated in an Indigenous Meditation with Michael and Troy. We heard a didgeridoo and clapsticks. We moved our bodies to the sounds and acted like the weather and animals. It was SUPER fun!!!!!!

By Lola, Louis and Tatum. Year 2

Vision & Graduate Outcomes

Students who graduate from St Mary’s aim to demonstrate these qualities in all that they do. We regularly discuss these words as part of our positive behaviour focus.