The school
A Maths Active School:
- Has a strong emphasis on developing mathematics learning and teaching in the School Charter or Strategic Plan, and the Annual Implementation Plan
- Has a numeracy leader/education leader and /or team to focus on the learning and teaching of mathematics
- Has a whole school mathematics plan, scope and sequence or similar teacher resource
- Embeds mathematics in other areas of the school curriculum
- Publishes mathematical content/articles in school newsletters or similar
- Provides puzzles and mathematical games for students to use in the classroom and during break times
- Has mathematical displays in shared areas, including work samples, word walls and information of interest
- Encourages home-school mathematic exploration
- Invites community members to speak with students regarding their work and reliance on mathematics
- Organises and supports mathematical games days, investigations or special mathematical themed days at a whole school level
- Conduct mathematical investigations with each year level using the MAV’s judging rubric of the Mathematics Talent Quest. The best investigations as determined by the school may be put forward to the state competition.
The teachers
A Maths Active Teacher:
- Utilises a range of teaching methods to ensure that students are actively engaged and developing understandings of mathematical concepts
- Supports and guides students in problem solving and mathematical investigations
- Provides opportunities for both invention and practice of mathematical skills
- Supports and encourage co-operative, small-group learning alongside whole-class discussion
- Actively supports the development of number sense and an ‘at-homeness’ with numbers
- Actively supports the use of concrete materials at all levels of schooling
- Actively supports appropriate students’ use of calculators
- Begin each numeracy lesson with a tuning in task and concludes with a reflection task
- Works co-operatively and shares their knowledge and experiences with colleagues within the school
- Demonstrate differentiation within the classroom
- Identifies specific teaching focus based on assessment
- Attends mathematically based professional development both in school and external sessions
- Attends MAV’s annual conference – a highly valued and rigorous conference for mathematics educators
- Actively reads professional journals and research papers
- Contribute mathematical content to: journals, MAV publications including Prime Number, Vincullum, and Common Denominator, school newsletters.
The students
A Maths Active Student:
- Is engaged in the learning of mathematics
- Uses a range of concrete materials
- Actively uses ICT and calculators appropriately
- Participates in problem solving and investigations
- Experiments with the invention and practice of mathematics
- Is able to explain the purpose of mathematics
- Can participate in mathematical discussions with teacher and peers
- Is excited and innovative in their use of mathematics.
The community
A Maths Active Community:
- Is encouraged to participate in mathematically based games with their children at home (matching games, monopoly, 24 game etc)
- Participates in Family Mathematics Nights (MAV can assist)
- Assist children with mathematical investigations at home
- Is invited to talk with students at school about their profession and the role of mathematics within their profession
- Assists with mathematic support or help in the classroom.
