numeracy can be fun

Numeracy can be fun! From a very young age, I have always loved Maths. I would even go so far to say that I was completely obsessed. As I have grown up, my love for this subject has only deepened, I still have the same feeling of adulation when solving a maths problem or equation, as I did when I was a child. Typically, I have found that my experience is not the norm, throughout my childhood and into my adult life I have met many people that say they ‘hate’ maths. I have heard grown adults say, ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I’m rubbish at maths’. Upon questioning, I began to discover that the reason they felt this way was down to negative experiences they had as a child, not at Secondary School but in fact, in Primary School. Their experiences of maths were filled with worries, uncertainty and at times tears. I believe that as a teacher it is my responsibility to show children that Maths can be fun and that we can all achieve success in this very important subject.

A British government document states that “Maths, like Literacy, is a key pillar of learning and an essential component of the British National Curriculum. It is about students having the confidence to choose and use mathematical skills they learn at school and in everyday life, as well as in the classroom.” Maths is a skill for life, learning and work. Having well developed maths skills allows young people to be more confident in social settings and increases their opportunities within the world of employment. For these and many other reasons, teachers and parents have an important part to play in enhancing the numeracy skills of all children and young people.

It is next to impossible to live an independent life without basic maths skills. We are inundated by numbers all the time, whether it's somebody selling us a mobile phone package, a politician trying to convince us about a

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particular policy or simple every day jobs such as weighing and measuring ingredients, shopping, or eating in a restaurant. As a society we have to make sense of these numbers if we are to successfully manage our lives. Therefore it is important that young children quickly develop a healthy attitude towards life-long learning in maths.

So how can we instill confidence within children in this very important subject? As a teacher I believe that we have to first create a safe and honest environment where the children are encouraged to take risks and make mistakes, it is important that we give them the confidence to tell us when they do not understand. A child that is comfortable in making mistakes is able to learn something new and apply this knowledge to other problems. The children in my class are happy to share their ideas even when they are not 100% sure. We must encourage the children to ask lots of questions; why do you do that? Can you solve it another way? What does that tell us? As teachers, we have an obligation to plan fun and stimulating lessons using a variety of different techniques and resources which allow the children to actively participate in the learning process, fostering a sense of achievement and confidence. Gone are the days where children sit at their desks answering pages of arithmetic questions. Children should have the opportunity to talk and share ideas, carry out practical problem solving activities and learn by doing rather than simply listening.

Parents have a big part to play in this as well. Children learn maths at home too, whether it's helping with cooking, playing board games or helping to pay for shopping. Here are some top tips for helping your child with Maths:

- Play games, puzzles and jigsaws and have fun with maths! Games such as chess (and Jenga for younger children) encourage mathematical thinking.




- Talking and listening to your child about their maths work in school. It will help your child if they have to explain to you how they solved a problem.

- Get your child to teach you maths

- Be positive about maths, even if you don’t feel confident about it yourself.

- It's also important to show how we use maths skills in our everyday lives and to involve your child in this, for example :

• In the supermarket, compare the prices of multi-packs of fruit to decide which pack offers the best value.

• Give children the opportunity to handle money and receive change. • Give your child some pocket money and encourage him/her to budget how the money will be spent. • When going on a journey, note the distance and the speed and estimate how long is left on a journey.

Remember, you are not expected to teach your child maths, but please share, talk and listen to your child. If there is anything you do not understand, contact your teacher who will always be happy to help, it is important that teachers and parents work together to allow children at the Windlesham House School to reach their maximum potential in this vital subject.

Written by Miss Ali Spinks. Assistant Head of Maths Windlesham House School BA Accountancy and Finance (Herriot Watt University), PGCE Primary Education (University of Edinburgh).


