Book: How to be Inventive When Teaching Primary Mathematics

How to be Inventive When Teaching Primary Mathematics
Developing outstanding learners
Steve Humble
2015
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
ISBN: 978-1-315-73101-8 (ebk)

Chapter 1: Our mathematical world

pg 4

Realizing that maths is not just a subject in school but is part of your everyday world gives you more ownership of that knowledge and allows you to see connections that otherwise you may never have associated with maths.

pg 6

Outdoor maths walks can supply further evidence of enhanced
learning. They are meaningful, stimulating, challenging and excit –
ing for children. Most important, these walks invite all students,
irrespective of their classroom achievement level, to participate
successfully in problem solving activities and gain a sense of
pride in the mathematics they create

pg 7

A typical walk consists of a sequence of designated sites
along a planned route where students stop to explore maths
in the environment. Maths walks make mathematics come
alive for children by engaging them cognitively, physically and
emotionally.
First you need to think about what you want your students
to see with their mathematical eyes. Plan this beforehand.
Go for a walk at the weekend. See if you can find, for example,
some fractal symmetry in nature and also some man-made
symmetries.

A typical walk consists of a sequence of designated sites
along a planned route where students stop to explore maths
in the environment. Maths walks make mathematics come
alive for children by engaging them cognitively, physically and
emotionally.
First you need to think about what you want your students
to see with their mathematical eyes. Plan this beforehand.
Go for a walk at the weekend. See if you can find, for example,
some fractal symmetry in nature and also some man-made
symmetries.

pg 11

A worthwhile component of outside learning is to assign a
data crew to document the responses of each group at each site
location. A data crew comprises two to three children whose
task is to collect pertinent data such as digital photographs, brief
video recordings and the groups’ written responses.

pg 12

CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING
Children’s maths walk experiences can serve as ‘transfer
triggers’.
One example of this could be when students investigate
symmetry: you could remind them of when they used their
mathematical eyes on their outdoor maths walk. For example,
they might have looked at the doors and windows of the school
building. You might even revisit the site to refresh their
memories about symmetrical patterns

pg 17

Chapter two: starting points

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
It is believed that counting first began when we were huntergatherers. This is before we started to divide the land into regular
rectangular patches as farmers. To hunters there was only a
STARTING POINTS: NUMBER
18
need for ‘one’, ‘two’ and ‘many’, as they could only hold two
objects at once. The use of other numbers was relatively
irrelevant. Therefore after ‘two’ came ‘many’.

There are interesting historical stories that you can discuss
or relate to your children concerning the development of number

patterns in different cultures and countries. Using mathematical
history alongside interesting stories and facts will intrigue some
students and engage their learning.

pg 20

History tells us that Pythagoras entertained large audiences
with stories about the qualities he applied to numbers in terms
of ‘numerology’ and the mathematical patterns and relationships
he had developed.

pg 23

This engaging technique is called ‘episodic learning’. We have
created a moment in the child’s mind. They have a memory –
an episode.

pg 46

Test your calculator
Let’s put your calculator through its paces. Why? First, it is
fun for your children to do and allows them to explore cyclic
fractions on their calculators. This idea of experimenting with
cyclic fractions on their calculators will help them to under –
stand repeating patterns. Second, it reinforces the concept of
multiplying a decimal by ten. Third, it shows how powerful the
calculator’s processor is

pg 47

Division with decimal answers
Young children often find division difficult. What can we do
about this? Let’s look at an example you can do with your class
and think about the best way to approach it. You might want
your children to do this question first without you scaffolding
any support. This will highlight for you any problems your class
may have and allow you to look for misconceptions that can be
addressed