“Engaging Maths”!
“I am seeing some amazing stuff with the kids using this program, talk about engaging in Maths – amazing!!!!!!!!!” Graham Body – Computer Coordinator at Fairy Meadow Demonstration School – talks about how one Maths game has transformed attitudes and motivation levels in the classroom.
Teacher Review by Graham Body
Computer Coordinator
Fairy Meadow Demonstration School.
Well, where can I start? First up – for the last 2 years I have been in our school’s computer room as the ICT teacher, working with teachers and doing RFF. I work with classes from Preschool through to Year 6 and all our support classes (IM, IO and Language).
In the past 20 years of teaching I have never seen children of such a wide variety of ages and abilities engage in math with the Numbers Up program. I usually group them in threes as this seems to be the optimal number for space and cooperation. I have watched as students that may be termed as having learning difficulties or behaviour issues work through problems and maths concepts that you would not see otherwise, whilst for more “able” students the challenge and format of the questions is just as motivating and engaging.
It is a routine request for the students to ask to “play” Numbers Up. I stress the word play here and it is amazing to see the number of students who make this request. Interestingly enough I will have mainly ones or twos make this request, but every now and then three or maybe four students will want to work on it together as well. I have stood aside and observed the language, the problem solving, the co-operation, the support, the teamwork AND ENJOYMENT that this program has brought to the way students work and it is nothing short of amazing.
In watching the way the students work to solve the problems it has been an educative process in itself. I offer them a cup of pencils and a box of paper for drawing pictures and / or making calculations. As a result I see children that use fingers, paper, pencil and “mental arithmetic” to come up with a solution and then test it by selecting or inputting their answer. If you ever get a chance to actually observe a class or group using the software I think you will see the same events I have.
As a teacher, the thing I am most amazed at is the way in which the differing ability levels and management issues of children evaporate in terms of task and team work behaviour. I have never seen the like of this with the traditional “activity”, hands-on type, concrete material or photocopied worksheet strategies usually used in teaching maths.
My bet/expectation is that when we seriously target this program across our school as an integral part of our maths teaching and learning, there will be an impact on our Basic Skills Test results. It should prove interesting, at the very least.
My plan is to continue showing staff for the rest of this year how to set it up, and how to incorporate it into their daily maths activities. Given the response from the students, I don’t think there will be any issues of not wanting to do it from that area.
Graham Body – Computer Coordinator, Fairy Meadow Demonstration School.
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