Mathematics

What does Mathematics look like at Ponsonby?

Mathematics is the culmination of three areas of learning: Number and Algebra, Geometry and Measurement and Statistics. Combined they are the exploration of quantities, space and time. These areas also equip students with effective means for investigation, interpreting, explaining and making sense of the world in which they live.

Statistics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in data.  These two areas are related but use different ways of thinking and of solving problems. 

Mathematicians and statisticians use symbols, graphs and diagrams to help them find and communicate patterns and relationships, and they create models to represent both real-life and hypothetical situations. These situations are drawn from a wide range of social, cultural, scientific, technological, health, environmental and economic contexts.

Why do we teach it?

Mathematics allows students to develop skills and strategies to solve real world problems. This encourages students to calculate with precision and look for alternative ways to think creatively, critically, strategically and logically. These skills will ideally create practical students with useful and relevant knowledge and applications of skills that will ensure success in everyday life and future employment. To help students understand that Mathematics has a broad range of practical applications in everyday life, in other learning areas, and in workplaces. Students also learn to structure and to organise, to carry out procedures flexibly and accurately, to process and communicate information, and to enjoy the intellectual challenge.

The learning of mathematics should focus on understanding, not just recall of facts or reproduction of procedures. Understanding is necessary for deep learning and mastery. Only with understanding can students be able to reason mathematically and apply mathematics to solve a range of problems.

By studying Mathematics and Statistics, students develop the ability to think creatively, critically, strategically and logically.  By learning Mathematics and Statistics, students develop other important thinking skills.  They learn to create models and predict outcomes, to conjecture, to justify and verify, and to seek patterns and generalisations. They learn to estimate with reasonableness, to calculate with precision, and to infer with an appreciation of variation.

How do we teach it?

• All students attend 5 periods of Mathematics Terms 1 – 4 and an extra Mathematics lesson Terms 2 – 4 (DEEP)
• The students who need to be accelerated receive intervention through Learning Centre support, Basic facts club
• The high achieving students are offered ‘Stretch’ with a Maths teacher (students working above expectation instead of high achieving)
• All students are offered international external examinations through ICAS, Mathex Challenge and Otago Problem Solving.
• Student achievement will be demonstrated and reported through formative (Pr1me Placement and PAT Maths) and summative assessment (Pr1me Summative)
• DEEP: Students will be grouped within their form class and taught by their form teacher, the focus of which is determined by most need.
• All students are working on their own learning pathway and are learning different concepts at different levels throughout the term. Student’s reflections on their progress informs report comments.
• Teachers developing students’ conceptual understandings through carefully scaffolded lessons which are reflected on every term through a PMI
• Students being explicitly taught to apply what they know to problem solving situations and practical application.
• Homework will constitute a regular part of Mathematics. Mathematics teachers will set homework online to meet the specific needs of students in each class. The team leader will oversee the home work programme.

From the Ponsonby Curriculum. Published 2022.