Traditionally the attainment in Mathematics in Mount Sackville has been significantly above than the national average. However, in line with The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategy (2011), Numeracy isn’t the sole preserve of the Mathematics classes:
“… strengthening skills in this area is a task for all teachers, not just teachers of language or mathematics.” (Circular No. 0025/2012)
In 2015 a Numeracy Team was formed, after discussing the Maths Eyes initiative in other schools it was decided to instigate a Shape, Space and Measure focus. The need for which was also backed up by data reported from PIMMS testing by the Career Guidance teacher in the school. Spatial awareness was not high scoring as some of the other results (this would also tally with international research on gender and spatial awareness … (Voyer, Voyer and Bryden, 1995)). In 2016 and 2017 three focus weeks were devoted to each aspect (e.g. Shape week, Space Week and Measure Week). Competitions were run outside class time and quizzes prefaced classes in different subjects.
Following a meeting with an SSE advisor in 2017 it was suggested that it would prove arduous to measure any outcomes, so he advised that we pick something smaller, also it was felt that these ran external to regular classes, as opposed to being incorporated within any given lesson topic. Following from this, in March 2018 the Numeracy team decided to instigate a percentages initiative to incorporate into teaching and learning. Quite simply, students were not to be given a percentage grade following a test, instead they would receive their mark in fraction form and must work it out themselves (or ask a peer/teacher to help).
Teachers were encouraged to participate and were subsequently surveyed in May.
Results are on the following page or can be viewed online at https://goo.gl/Z22jwn
Overall the response rate was about 10/50. Those who did respond were generally positive about the initiative and its outcomes for student engagement.
We revisited the Shape, Space and Measure initiative in a recent meeting (1/10/2018) and decided to make some more visual statements around the school with signposts to indicate distance to different locations and angles on the floor at door openings. This is currently being set up.
Accelerated Maths from Renaissance Learning
Accelerated Maths gives teachers the information they need to monitor student performance and progress in order to plan where to focus their teaching efforts and promote maths success every day.
Accelerated Maths provides a comprehensive set of reports that give a detailed picture of every student's understanding of the skills they need to acquire. Because reports can be produced immediately, feedback is available when it is most useful for guiding learning. Students and teachers can see at a glance which questions were answered incorrectly and which objectives they are struggling with.
Reports can be generated for individuals, groups or whole classes in order to inform planning and to alert teachers to skills that need further attention. Conversely, this feedback prevents students from continuing to practise skills they have already mastered, stretching them towards new concepts.
Accelerated Maths has been rolled out to all 1stand 4thyears within regular mathematics class time. Currently teachers and students are becoming familiar with the programme and are working through the sessions. As we are new to Accelerated Maths, together we will review its impact on numeracy in Mount Sackville.