Putting a spotlight on Everyday Maths Hub resources for K-2

The Everyday Maths Hub is a great resource for teachers and schools to use to engage parents and carers in mathematics and numeracy, helping to enhance students' attitudes, engagement and success.

Aimed at showing the important role mathematics plays in everyday life, the Everyday Maths hub has materials for students in kindergarten to year 12. In this update, the spotlight is on resources for K-2.

Here’s 4 activities parents can use at home to support student learning:

• ‘Shopping bags’: After a trip to the supermarket, the child can test the mass of the bags to determine which is the lightest by holding one in each hand. Comparing the weight of objects in this way is called 'hefting'.
• ‘Recycling bottles’: Learn about money, its value and how to count it through the act of recycling.
• ‘Sandwich fractions’: Sandwiches are a great way to learn about fractions from an early age. This activity uses the cutting of sandwiches to explore fractions.
• ‘Guess the colour’: Use building blocks or LEGO to explore mathematical ideas of probability.

For kids starting Kindergarten, there is also a handy e-book available for download on the Everyday Maths Hub which includes useful conversation prompts for parents to use when discussing activities with their child. For parents and carers who speak a language other than English, there are resources including videos available in multiple community languages to support them to engage with their child about mathematics.

Looking for resources for other years? Visit the Everyday Maths Hub and filter by year level.

Mathematics inspired career change for a marketing executive

The pathway to becoming a mathematics teacher is varied, with one pathway being the teach.MathsNOW scholarship program which helps scholars by providing financial assistance, paid part-time employment while studying and a guaranteed permanent teaching position in a NSW public school following successful completion of studies.

For one teach.MathsNOW scholar, the program was critical in helping her make a career change. A move from marketing into mathematics teaching is not a normal career path, but for Charlotte Akopian the switch was made possible through the program as it provided part-time work while she studied.

“I was working in marketing and I really struggled to get through my days. I wasn't fulfilled. I knew that I was ready for a change and maths had always been something that I was good at and something that I had enjoyed,” said Ms Akopian.

“I was still involved with maths programs outside of my work in marketing. So, one day it just clicked and I realised that I should make the transition over to being a high school teacher.”

Read more about Ms Akopian’s experience as a teach.MathsNOW scholar.

Applications for the 2023 teach.MathsNOW Scholarships have now closed, with 192 applications received. Subscribe for updates on teach.MathsNOW scholarships.

Mathematics Growth Team tour continues in Term 3

Chatham High School in Taree, and Richmond River High and Ballina Coast High School in the Northern Rivers were the latest schools to receive a visit from members of the Mathematics Growth Team (MGT) including Eddie Woo, Craig Holden and Rachel Winter. Following successful school visits in Term 2, the MGT has continued to visit schools in its network in Term 3.

As part of the visits, the team met with excited students and also held professional learning sessions with local teachers.

In comments made to the Lismore City News during his visit to Richmond River High, Eddie Woo noted that the complexity of teaching had increased, so he aimed to give teachers the tools to help make the most out of their classroom time.

Visits were held with local MGT trainers, Daniela Elford (Richmond River High), Matthew Whight (Chatham High School) and Jacqui Lyon (Ballina Coast High School) who will continue to work with schools in their local communities during their two-year tenure in the MGT.

The MGT is made up of expert mathematics teachers who are working with targeted schools across the state to amplify the impact of expert mathematics teaching and is also part of Best In Class. Their goal is to strengthen mathematics leaders and build a new generation of mathematics teachers across NSW public schools.

For more information about the MGT email MGT@det.nsw.edu.au

Opportunity to join the Embedded Instructional Leader Pathway

Teachers interested in developing their knowledge and skills as an instructional leader are invited to express their interest in the Embedded Instructional Leader Pathway being offered by the Mathematics Growth Team (MGT).

The Embedded Instructional Leader Pathway is an opportunity to build teacher capacity to lead the improvement of curriculum knowledge and pedagogical expertise. Successful applicants will be paired 1-1 with a Mathematics Growth Team Trainer to engage in a range of activities that allow them to develop instructional leadership skills in a supportive environment

Watch MGT team advisor, Rach Winter, outline what can be expected from the program. You can also hear from MGT Lead, Eddie Woo and members of the team talk about what it is like working with the MGT.

Expressions of Interest close on 3 October 2022.

Purchase quality-assessed resources from online learning tools marketplace

A range of online learning tools for mathematics and other KLAs are now available for purchase through the online learning tools marketplace (OLTM). Schools can be confident that the products available through the OLTM have been quality-assessed by the department’s primary and secondary curriculum teams and also comply with data confidentiality, cyber security and privacy standards.

A product catalogue with information on each of the products, including pricing, is available online. Orders are then completed using EdBuy. More products will be added to the marketplace over time.

Visit the OLTM today or if you need more information, contact the Marketplace team by email on marketplace@det.nsw.edu.au

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Join the NSW Mathematics Strategy Yammer group (staff only) to share insights with your colleagues.

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