Mathematics
Each year, Wattle Park PS enters a senior school in the Maths Olympiad The Maths Olympiad is a Mathematical-based challenge that requires students to extend their mathematical understanding through explicit teaching and problem solving situations.
In 2023 Wattle Park PS was the top Victorian Primary School, achieving the highest mark of any school, state or private in the state. Notably Wattle Park PS:
At Wattle Park Primary School we teach a meaningful and engaging Mathematics program based on best practice evidenced by current research. This enables our students to be prepared to apply mathematical knowledge in the real world to solve problems.
We offer a balanced approach with our mathematics sessions embracing the philosophy of ‘concept, skill and application’ whilst also ensuring multiple opportunities to develop the FOUR PROFICIENCIES of Understanding, Fluency, Reasoning and Problem Solving. Four Proficiencies for more information regarding the four proficiencies.
We recognise that our Mathematics teachings need to include ‘real world’ links, where students have the opportunity to model their understanding using a range of learning materials. By allowing students to manipulate materials throughout all year levels, they better understand mathematical concepts.
Mathematics investigations offer students an opportunity to explore and engage with mathematics in a less structured format. These open-ended tasks encourage students to make connections between the task and their prior learning, draw on that knowledge to consider possible ways the problem could be solved and persist with their attempts to solve the problem.
We value that we, like our students, learn best when we are curious, have explicit instructions, scaffolded experience and take risks. Teachers link tasks to the ‘real world’ and encourage students to lead their own learning. We will use data from pre and post testing relating to the Victorian curriculum to inform our teaching and assess individual student growth.
We work collaboratively with our colleagues, share our learnings and celebrate our achievements. We understand and value our students’ knowledge and experience, and build upon this through real-life, hands-on, open-ended investigations.
Students take responsibility for identifying opportunities within and directing their own learning, asking questions, taking risks and being curious learners. Students build important knowledge, explore concepts and subsequently apply strategies to solve real world problems and achieve beneficial results.
At Wattle Park PS we improve educational outcomes and foster a love of Mathematics.
Number & Algebra
Students learn how to apply number sense and strategies for counting and representing numbers, and understanding how operations are connected. They are supported to recognise patterns, understands the concepts of variable and functiod to apply their skills to conduct investigations, solve problems, as well as communicating how they solved the problems!
Examples:
* Number and place value
* Fractions and decimals
* Real numbers
* Money and financial mathematics
* Patterns & algebra
* Pythagoras and trigonometry
Measurement & Geometry
As students move through the curriculum they develop an in-depth understanding of size, shape, relative position and how two dimensional and three-dimensional figures move. They define, compare and construct figures and objects. For measurement they are able to measure quantities, choose appropriate units of measurement and learn area, speed and density.
Examples:
* Using units of measurement
* Shape
* Geometric reasoning
* Location & transformation
* Linear and non-linear relationships
Statistics & Probability
Our curriculum supports students to analyse data and draw inferences. They collect, represent, summarise and interpret data from a variety of sources. Students learn to recognise variation, assess how likely something is to occur, and make reasoned judgements and decisions about data.
Examples:
* Chance
* Data representation and interpretation
How to Teach...