Arohia Ake - Aim High
Mathematics at HPS
The Maths Curriculum
In Mathematics and Statistics, students explore patterns and relationships and use these to make sense of the world in which they live. Mathematics is exploring and using patterns in quantities, space, and time. Statistics is the exploring and using patterns and relationships in data.
By learning Mathematics and Statistics, students develop important thinking skills. They learn to structure and to organise, to carry out procedures flexibly and accurately, to process and communicate information, and to enjoy intellectual challenge.
In the New Zealand Maths Curriculum, there are 3 learning strands:
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Number and Algebra
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Geometry and Measurement
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Statistics
What Maths Looks like at Helensville Primary School
At Helensville Primary School we believe strongly that Mathematics is best learnt through relating problems to the real world. By doing this we are helping our learners to see the relevance of often complex tasks in a way that is most likely to be engaging and memorable for them.
Our maths program is based on the New Zealand Maths Numeracy Programme and Developing Mathematical Inquiries Communities (DMIC). At Helensville Primary, we have chosen the DMIC teaching approach because it fits best with our students needs, having been chosen by the Ministry of Education after a broad search involving thousands of interventions because it had the largest impact on equity and excellence in mathematics achievement, social skills and key competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum.
Maths overviews are fixed across the school to fit with the DMIC programme. Planning is modified as testing data is used to identify class/team strengths and weaknesses. There is full coverage of all strands across 4 terms.
Year 0-4 Number/Strand Ratio of 80:20 to 60:40 (Strand refers to learning strands other than number)
Year 5 - 6 Number/Strand ratio of 70:30 to 50:50
Year 7 - 8 Number/Strand ratio of 60:40 to 40:60
In classrooms, a problem is posed to the class, which students approach in mixed ability social groups. As the lesson progresses, groups are chosen to share and explain what they have learnt, justifying their thinking and responding to queries. It is important to have the opportunity to explain and model our thinking and/or strategies for others - that's how we truly understand the concepts! At the end of the lesson, the teacher connects what the students have discovered to previous knowledge and the big ideas of maths.
On other days, we have flexible student groups, based on what ākonga need to know. Learners might see the teacher for a lesson; complete a follow up activity to consolidate skills or concepts learnt recently; or complete a task to practice maths knowledge. We often use 'hands-on' materials in our maths lessons to help us grasp new concepts. These may include counters, cubes, base ten materials, tens frames, number lines or hundreds boards. This is essential for helping us to build a mental image of some of the tricky concepts we learn.
We don't always do our maths work in our books - sometimes we practice the skills and strategies that we have learned by completing activities on the class computers and laptops or by working in a group using chart paper or our modelling book. This provides valuable opportunities to practice, revise, consolidate and apply the learning that has taken place in class.
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Extension Maths
ICAS: The International Competitions and Assessments for Schools, is an independent, skills-based assessment program. ICAS recognises and rewards student achievement in maths and other areas.
Otago Problem Solving Challenge:
A mathematics problem solving competition in 5 half hour sessions over 5 months. Organised by the University of Otago aimed primarily at children in Years 7 and 8.
For more information contact the HPS Maths Lead Teacher bronwync@helensville.school.nz
Monitoring and Assessment
Students are assessed and monitored via: formative assessment, teacher observations, PAT (Year 7 & 8),
e-asTTle, JAM, DMIC Assessments and Mathletics.
Regular reporting to parents happens through Whānau Meetings and Seesaw.
How parents can help at home?
There are some excellent ideas here as well as links and resources support with learning maths at home.
Students have their own logins. Our Year 3-8 students are assigned tasks, which are monitored by their teachers. Mathletics also has games and support materials.
Students have their own logins. Our Year 0-2 students are assigned their own tasks, which are monitored by their teachers.
It is really important that we revise our basic facts, to help us to become more confident at recalling them, and using them to solve more challenging maths problems.
Here you can learn times tables and earn diplomas.
You can practice addition, subtraction, place value and times tables here.
