At Winterfold Primary School, we have a whole school approach to running a balanced numeracy program, where the aim is to develop numerically literate individuals who do not feel intimidated by maths. Teachers make maths relevant by applying it to the real world. To become proficient mathematicians, students need to have active participation and be given the opportunity for inquiry.
Our school has a ‘no workbook’ policy in maths and a fulltime Numeracy Specialist Teacher program to oversee and support classroom teachers with Numeracy across the school from Kindergarten to Year 6. Regular collaborative planning sessions with Specialist Teachers ensure that classroom teachers develop the confidence to plan quality maths programs, that are flexible and build on what students currently know and understand, rather than the worksheet/workbook style, one size fits all input. This approach gives students the opportunity to use their own initiative and mathematical thinking.
Collaborative sessions also allow teachers to moderate tasks within their phase teams, to ensure consistency and continuity at delivering the curriculum across the school. All staff follow the First Steps in Mathematics teaching and learning practises and understandings, and teachers use a Numeracy Block Structure, to give all students the opportunity to develop the specialised knowledge and language needed for conceptual understanding and applying mathematical concepts. Students are presented with a range of representations of the same concept. Curriculum delivery includes a balance of explicit teaching, jointly constructed understandings (modeled and guided) and independent learning.
A range of assessment tools ensures a variety of opportunities for students to work mathematically, and explain their mathematical thinking. Students are constantly encouraged to reflect on what they have learned, how they learned and what assisted them in their learning.