Numeracy

The Maths Block

At Kirton Point Primary School, students learn Maths during a daily, 50 – 100 minute numeracy block. Short and sweet maths such as counting and days of the week is taught as a daily routine whilst some maths concepts are integrated into other learning areas. Students learn number and algebra, measurement and geometry, chance and data using modelled, guided, independent processes.

Useful links:

Numeracy at Kirton Point

(Download PDF, xxKB)

Natural Maths

Warm up

A daily warm up consisting of flashcards and games that promote automaticity of number enables students to retain skills and information in their long term memory.

The Ann Baker maths pedagogy is used throughout the school to teach numeracy within a real life context. This includes a mental routine, problematized situation or strategy lesson and a reflection for students to articulate and demonstrate their learning.

Mental routine

incorporates using mental computation strategies and responding to open, closed and flip questioning.

Problematised situations

commence with a story which presents a problem for students to solve. Students use strategies taught and practised in the strategy lessons to solve problems in many different ways.

Strategy lessons

explicitly teach concepts and skills that students can use to solve problems.

Reflections

enable students to reflect on the learning, explain processes used, teach their peers and/or articulate the learning to the whole group.
Student numeracy learning is assessed formatively using student work samples, questions, and explanations of processes used as well as observations, questioning and feedback and summatively using PAT M, NAPLAN and teacher made tests.

Quicksmart Maths

Quicksmart Maths support program is used for students in middle and upper primary years who require practise with automaticity skills in number. Students receive 30 minute sessions, 3 times per week with trained ssos. Quicksmart maths involves students in 6 x 5 minute activities over the 30 minutes. Students graph their individual scores as part of the routine enabling them to receive instant feedback on their performance.