Teachers like new maths programme

Press, 17 December 1986, Page 9

Teachers like new maths programme

Christchurch primary teachers seem enthusiastic about a new mathematics programme for children aged five to seven. Beginning School Mathematics was already being used by about a third of the primary schools in Canterbury, said Mrs Margaret Reeve, a primary school inspector. All Canterbury schools will be using the programme next year. The programme has been developed especially for New Zealand schools. It has been on trial in selected schools for three years. Beginning School Mathematics is a lan-guage-based programme, which uses games and activities to reinforce concepts.

Mrs Pauline Huggins, assistant principal of Bromley School, described the programme as very exciting. The school had been using the programme for three years. “It is so amazingly good that teachers get all up in the air and get excited,” she said.

Mrs Huggins said one of the most exciting aspects of the programme was that teachers could cater for children at about 10 different levels in the same class. “The teachers don’t sit there and teach the whole class. It has to be taken in groups to fit the individual children.”

The programme included “check points” to ensure that each child understood the concepts

of one level before being moved on to another level, she said. “The foundation (in mathematics) that children now have sends them out being mathematically aware.” The principal of Queenspark School, Mr David Stewart, said children responded very well to the programme. Queenspark School had also been using the programme for three years.

“Their attitude towards mathemaics is very positive at the end of their junior schooling.”

Mr Stewart said the only problem with the programme was that it required a lot of equipment, and this could cause administrative problems.