maths guide

Mathematics is highly valued in our society but for many students the thought of learning mathematics is daunting. Learning mathematics in primacy school may have been a positive experience but it may have also been filled with frustration and anxiety. If a teacher has a negative view of mathematics then their students will adopt this view. Students must be shown the relevance and purpose of mathematics in a real life and meaningful way. There is no doubt that mathematics is an indispensable tool for understanding our world. As we move through the twenty-first century no one can be clear on what mathematics will be needed, but it is clear that students will need to know how to reason mathematically and apply mathematical thinking to a wide range of situations (Reys, R. E., Lindquist, M. M., Lambdin, D. V., Smith, N. L., Rogers, A., Falle, J., Frid, S., Bennett, S. (2012). Helping Children Learn Mathematics (1st Australian ed.). Milton, Queensland: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd).
Teachers should foster a positive mathematical relationship in their classroom, show persistence, flexibility, relevance, willingness to learn and an appreciation of the value of mathematics (Reys et al., 2012). A teacher should encourage intellectual risk-taking and reward students for critical thinking and creative problem solving (Reys et al., 2012). Anxiety towards mathematics should be discouraged; students should know that mistakes and errors will help them construct their mathematical knowledge.
Students should be able to identify that mathematics is an essential skill that is valued by employers and used in everyday life. By developing effective teaching strategies a teacher can provide a student with the tools and knowledge to become mathematically proficient.
Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics written by the Mathematics Learning Study Committee, National Research Council (Mathematics Learning Study Committee, National Research Council. (2001). Adding It Up: