Task Centre News

May 2005

• Working Mathematically Attitude
  A conversation the other day with Ian Edwards, Luther College, Croydon crystallised a thought.
  Working Mathematically is an attitude, not an activity.
  • You can 'do' all the 'text book stuff' and then look for a problem solving activity in each topic; that will add some interest to your curriculum (for you as well as the kids?).
  • You can include a your favourite Maths300 investigations a few times during the year; that will 'spice things up a bit'.
  • You can plan a Working Mathematically unit once a term in a genuine effort to structure in the problem solving part of your official curriculum document.

  BUT, it is when the attitude that students are:

  learning to work like a mathematician

  permeates your planning, execution and assessment, and is reflected in the day to day language used with students that you will achieve the broadest improvements in:

  • problem solving ability,
  • mathematical skills,
  • literacy skills and
  • class management.

  Every step along the way to this vision and its multiple benefits is important, but it was teachers being supported to personally embed the ATTITUDE which contributed to the INISSS research results which so clearly support this hypothesis.

  The INISSS teachers, through on-going professional development over three years, closed the learning gap in mathematics between Indigenous and non-Indigenous secondary students. Read about their work in the Do Tasks Work? link on the left.

  There were only two sources of input to scaffold their training. Interaction with Indigenous leaders to support a deepening understanding of Indigenous issues, and, the one page Working Mathematically process detailed in the link on the left.

  The Working Mathematically attitude permeates the planning support and choice of resources in all Maths With Attitude kits. Perhaps that is one of the reasons teachers are finding them such a valuable resource. See the Resources link for more information.

• Maths on the Move Successes
  April/May has been a busy time for professional development.
  1. Kym Linke reported positive evaluations returned by teachers at the Maths on the Move sessions he ran in Adelaide fro the Department of Education & Children's Services. There are more planned. See the revised Maths on the Move link.
  2. There were also three programs run in the Northern Territory in partnership with the Mathematics Teachers Association of Northern Territory.
     • Working Mathematically in Number & Computation
     • Working Mathematically with Very Little
     • Engineering 'aha' Moments in Number

  The day after the Working Mathematically with Very Little program, Jane Allan, Woodroffe Primary School, sent this email:

  I thoroughly enjoyed the inservice 'Working Mathematically With Very Little'. I went through school in a small country town being told that girls were no good at maths so don't worry your head about the problems that you come up against. As I have become older I have discovered that problem solving is not done in one way only and that my sometimes strange methods of getting to an answer are just as productive as others. I hope to be able to pass on to my students the same idea.

  (Today) I have a mixed group students. The rest of the classes have gone to the rehearsals for the Arafura Games Opening Ceremony. ... (My) students were so engaged in the 'Steps' activity that they didn't notice me with the camera. They also wanted to stay a little longer when the bell went.

  The next day Jane sent this email:

  I have been at school for around 15 minutes and have had one blossom tell me it's her birthday and because of this can we do some more fun maths like yesterday as a present for her. This Year 6 child has been upset more times than I care to remember at the thought of doing 'Maths'.

• MOTM Geelong
  There are still places in the Maths on the Move programs planned for Geelong. See the link on the left for more details.
  • May 31st: Learning to Work Like a Mathematician
  • June 1st: Engineering 'aha' Moments in Number

• Poly Plug on the List
  At a recent workshop a teacher suggested that the best way to have Poly Plug on the table for the kids to use at will (yours or theirs!) was to make them a booklist item. Then they would be available through the student's school career. I have done the same thing in the past with calculators.

  Seems like a great idea. If you are convinced of the richness, flexibility and classroom friendliness of this resource then make a note, because schools aren't that far away from planning the 2006 list.

  If you want to know more about what others see as applications of this Task Centre Support Resource, then check these links:

  • Main Index of Poly Plug Activities (Years K-10)
  • Poly Plug & Tasks (Years 2-10)
  • Poly Plug & the Calculating Changes Project (Years K-7)
  • Information and prices

• Are We Perfect?
  Last month we invited teachers who have been using the Maths With Attitude Years 3 & 4 kits to contribute to an upcoming review of the manuals. We have had zero response. Does that mean that you are happy with the level of support?

  Contributions are still welcome to support this review process. Contact Doug. Williams:

  • Email: doug@blackdouglas.com.au
  • Phone: +61 3 9726 8316

• Did you miss the April News?
  If so you missed information about:
  1. Release of Pentagon Triangles in class sets to support whole class investigation into Square Numbers, Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Ratio through playing with shapes.
  2. Maths With Attitude and Home Schooling.
  3. The Size 100 Sphinx and an the beginning of an investigation to find more shapes like the Sphinx which grow by a construction rule.
  4. Matt's Matt Slide Show.

Keep smiling,
Doug.

Follow this link to Task Centre Home Base Welcome Page & Index.