Parent Workshop – ‘Mathematics and the PYP’

What is the purpose of Primary School Mathematics? This is an interesting question that perhaps you haven’t really considered. Is it in order to pass tests? To become an accountant? For problem solving purposes? To prepare students for real life?

This question is an important one that has driven our thinking about Mathematics within the PYP framework at Lindfield. The PYP learning framework aims at developing skilful learners; able to articulate what they have learnt, how they have learnt it and how to apply their learning in a variety of situations. We are also very aware that not all learners are the same and therefore a Mathematics program must allow for all students to grow and develop and to experience success.

Our approach to Mathematics is evolving, although we are maintaining a strong commitment to ‘the basics’. Each of our classes has a Number focus at the beginning of every Maths lesson to ensure they are always developing their basic number facts and skills in the Number strand. Beyond this things get interesting.

We are in the process of developing two types of Mathematics units; stand-alone and integrated. Stand-alone units are units of work that last for several weeks to allow for in-depth inquiry into a particular Mathematics concept. An example of this might be a unit on Fractions and Decimals or Measurement. Throughout the unit the boys will have opportunities to develop their thinking through open-ended, inquiry-based activities that support each of them (at their point of need) in building on their existing knowledge and understanding (this is gauged by a pre-assessment task).

Integrated units allow boys to make connections between skills learnt in Mathematics and the content being learnt in their Unit of Inquiry. This is common with the Mathematics strands of Measurement, Space and Geometry, and Chance and Data.

To provide additional support to our boys in the area of Mathematics, once a fortnight Stage 2 and 3 each get together for an hour long Mathematics Problem solving Workshop. During the workshop the boys work on a particular problem solving strategy and have the opportunity to choose the level of support or challenge that they would like to engage in with one of four teachers.

What is the purpose of Primary School Mathematics? We think that first and foremost it is to develop learners equipped with strong Mathematical understanding and skills and an ability to apply them in different real life problem solving situations.

Earn and Learn Points

Over the last couple of years our community has taken part in the Woolworths Earn and Learn scheme which allows us to purchase additional resources for the school. We feel very blessed to be supported by such a generous community.

This year, with your support, we will once again participate in this scheme in a slightly different manner. Given how well resourced our school is we thought this would be a great opportunity to support another school community that is in greater need than us. Given our connection over the years with the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children we thought it was appropriate to donate our school tokens to ‘RIDBC Garfield Barwick School’ at North Parramatta.

Please send any tokens to the School Office so that we can make a difference to another school community.

Sesquicentenary Whole School Photo

As part of our Sesquicentenary Celebrations we have organised to have a whole school photo that is representative of all of the boys and staff from the three campuses. This photo will take place at Stanmore on Thursday 6 June 2013.  For further information please refer to the permission note.