There is not one way to teach Mathematics. Schools use a variety of approaches and we see the course as allowing each individual student to discover how best to use themselves and their talents to teach Mathematics effectively to those children with whom they work, and to allow each student to develop flexibility of approach and learn new skills.
The group of students will have a range of age, work, technological experience and mathematical interests. The course aims to use the strengths of the group of students to support each other through:
National concern about Mathematics teaching and developments in our knowledge about how children learn Mathematics have led to major changes in emphasis and teaching approach to meet the needs of the whole ability range in schools.
These include more practical activity, problem solving and open ended investigative work, greater emphasis on Mathematics as a means of communication, a focus on mental methods of calculation, the use of calculators and computers and stronger links with other subjects and the world of work.
The last few years have seen many changes to the Mathematics curriculum, with the National Curriculum being supplemented by the National Strategy for Key Stage 3 and with changes to A level and other post-16 curricula. This provides an exciting yet challenging prospect:
Laurinda taught Mathematics from 1974-1986 at Backwell School, Avon, latterly as Head of Department. After one year's secondment to the post of Mathematics Editor at the Resources for Learning Development Unit (RLDU), Avon, she combined a job-share as editor with work on the PGCE course at Bristol.
She is particularly interested in the professional development of teachers through work in collaborative groups to produce resources or learn through writing and in effective teaching and learning of Mathematics.
Laurinda was editor, for five years, of Mathematics Teaching, the journal of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics and more recently, for four years, of the journal For the Learning of Mathematics. With Jan, she is directing a project through the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM), focussing on the current application of Caleb Gattegno’s work in the teaching of Mathematics.
Jan taught Mathematics at Portway School and Fairfield Grammar School before becoming a Mathematics advisory teacher for Avon LEA. Later she combined this role with that of Assessment Consultant, before moving to the University.
She is an active member of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics and has completed a three year period as Chair of its General Council. In recent years she has worked in the Gambia and Sri Lanka on several occasions, with teachers and teacher educators.
Jan is particularly interested in the place of assessment as part of the learning process and the role of reflection on practice as a strategy for professional development of teachers.
Jan is co-author with Paul Weeden and Patricia Broadfoot of Assessment: What's in it for schools?
