Reflection 1

Highlight, discuss and reflect on mathematics education, the curriculum, the organisation of learning, the implications for you as future teacher.

Mathematical learning allows students to be a part of opportunities to enrich their lives. It provides students with essential skills and knowledge in mathematical thinking as well as key strands in curriculum content. The numeracy capabilities of a student are developed; skills in which one would need in their personal and work life.  The use of ICT and digital technologies have been aiding the expansion of learning by providing new tools for mathematical thinking and exploration. The use of materials in mathematical learning has proven to be effective in Australian classrooms. However, there has been a gradual move away from the belief that concrete materials will “automatically” results in appropriate mathematical learning, particularly under the influence of a drive for more abstract mathematical thinking (Perry, B. 2007) Many experiences offer opportunities for mathematical learning, the individual characteristics of the individual needs to be taken on-board before setting out specific concrete materials. In many ways, teachers see that the best solution is to have the materials available and to allow students to choose what they saw as being useful in their learning (Halai, A., & Clarkson, P. 2016) As a future teacher, I hope that I will be able to make mathematical learning fun and engaging for my students. I hope to be able to use a range of methods and materials in order to advance my students learning.

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Perry, B. (2007). Australian teachers’ views of effective mathematics teaching and learning (39th ed., pp. 271-286). Springer-Verlag.

Halai, A., & Clarkson, P. (2016). Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Multilingual Classrooms (pp. 3-10). SensePublishers, Rotterdam.