Numeracy

Numeracy

At Ferntree Gully North Primary School, we are committed to developing confident and capable mathematical thinkers. Our numeracy program ensures students build strong foundations, develop fluency, and apply their learning to a variety of real-life situations and everyday problems. 

Using the framework of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, we deliver a sequential maths program which provides for the development of related concepts and skills across grades.

 Mathematics as a subject is organised into content strands.

The 6 strands are:

• Number
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Space
• Statistics
• Probability (commencing at Grade 3).

The proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning are fundamental to learning mathematics and working mathematically and are applied across all content strands 

Students build understanding when they:

• describe their thinking mathematically
• interpret mathematical information
• make connections between familiar concepts and new ideas

Students are fluent when they:

• make reasonable estimates
• calculate answers efficiently
• choose appropriate methods of working
• recall factual knowledge 

Students pose and solve problems when they:

• design investigations and plan their approaches
• apply their existing strategies to seek solutions
• check that their answers are reasonable.

Students are reasoning mathematically when they:

• explain their thinking
• adapt the known to the unknown
• transfer learning from one context to another
• prove that something is true or false

Teachers create supportive classroom environments with lessons planned around each student’s point of need, using a mix of open-ended and targeted tasks.

Students engage in numeracy that is stimulating, engaging and appropriately challenging as well as tailored to their individual needs. Students take part in hands-on, cooperative learning and problem-solving activities that puts them at the centre of the learning.

With support from the teacher and peers, students work at a pace suited to their stage of development. ‘Steps to Success’ goals clarify the current learning focus so students know which step of their learning they are working on and what step will come next.

A wide range of maths resources and equipment are available including digital technology such as computers and calculators.

In our maths classrooms:

• Teachers have high expectations that children will learn mathematics.
• Teachers focus on each child’s learning needs.
• Children work as a whole class, in small groups and individually.
• Maths concepts and strategies are explained using materials and everyday language.
• Children are actively involved in using numbers to solve real problems.
• Children share their learning and are given feedback. 

The importance of home:

At home, you can have a huge impact on your child’s mindset towards maths and the relationship between the school and home is crucial. A great volume of research has found that the role of parents in the development of a child’s attitude and beliefs towards mathematics is highly significant. As teachers, we regularly hear stories from students along the lines of “My parents weren’t any good at maths, so neither am I”.

How can you help your child at home? 

• Like the connection between talking and writing –  talking and the proficiencies are also linked. Talking about mathematics is an effective way of learning and the family is one of the best places, especially when a maths situation arises naturally. 
• Ask your child questions, let them work out answers for themselves, and then discuss their answers with them. There are many ways to solve a problem, encourage different approaches. 
• Make maths part of everyday life — involve children in shopping, measuring, and budgeting.
• Fluency is developed by playing number-based games — card games, board games and puzzles.
• Encourage reasoning — ask how they solved a problem.