Mathematics

Glen Waverley South Primary School has a whole school approach to Mathematics. We aim to provide 5 hours of mathematics sessions per week. The structure of these lessons are flexible to reflect the nature of the concepts being taught. Sessions are structured using open ended tasks, problem solving or investigation tasks. Sessions include explicit teaching, reflection time, roving conferences, exit slips and differentiated tasks where support and extension prompts have been planned for.

Student conferences support and extend students’ individual learning needs. They occur individually or in small groups. Students receive constructive feedback at their point of need to move their learning to the next stage. During student conferences teachers collect evidence to support students’ learning. This could take the form of checklists, observation notes, photos or work samples. 

Teachers assess students’ achievements and learning on an ongoing basis. They use a variety of pre and post-tests to identify students’ prior knowledge and learning that has occurred during the sessions. Teachers use ongoing checklists to monitor student learning and progress.

Reflection is an important aspect to every mathematics lesson. It allows students time to share their new learning, challenges, strategies and understandings. Reflection also provides an opportunity for students to hear thoughts and ideas of their peers, often providing a new and different perspective on the task or concept. For these reasons, reflection does not only happen at the conclusion of a lesson but often throughout a lesson to provide students time to use the insights gained from others for their own learning. Exit slips are also used at the end of the session as a form of self assessment and to inform teachers of future learning.

When planning mathematics sessions teachers refer to the Victorian Curriculum. Planning includes all content areas, including Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability. The following proficiency strands will also be included in planning and teaching: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.

Teachers have high expectations of all students.