Maths Week England is an annual celebration of all things maths, and it’s a great opportunity to use TT Education’s Path to Success to get your primary school students excited about the subject.
The Path to Success is a teaching and learning methodology that can be used to teach any skill or operation, including maths (please click here to find out more about the Path to Success).
Teachers can use the Path to Success to:
- Design engaging and hands-on activities that help students to experience and play with new maths concepts.
- Provide opportunities for students to use maths concepts in meaningful and purposeful ways, such as through problem-solving tasks and real-world applications.
- Help students to develop their own strategies for using maths concepts and to deepen their understanding of these concepts.
- Support students to connect maths concepts to their existing knowledge and experience, and to see how they can be applied in different situations.
There are all sorts of ways to make maths fun and engaging for young learners, and here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Make it real-world.
One of the best ways to help students see the relevance of maths is to show them how it’s used in the real world. Here are a few ideas:
- Go on a maths scavenger hunt. Have students look for examples of maths in their surroundings, such as patterns in nature, shapes in architecture, and numbers on signs and advertisements.
- Plan a class trip to a local museum or science centre. Many museums have exhibits that relate to maths concepts, such as geometry, physics, and engineering.
- Invite a guest speaker to class. Talk to a local business owner, engineer, or scientist about how they use maths in their work.
2. Use games and activities.
Games and activities are a great way to get students moving and learning at the same time. Here are a few ideas:
- Play maths games. There are all sorts of maths games available, from classic board games like Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders to more educational games like Maths Dice and Dominoes.
- Do maths puzzles. Maths puzzles are a great way to challenge students’ minds and help them develop their problem-solving skills.
- Use hands-on activities. Hands-on activities are a great way for students to learn by doing. For example, you could have students build 3D shapes, measure objects, or create graphs and charts.
3. Make it fun.
The most important thing is to make maths fun for your students. If they’re enjoying themselves, they’re more likely to learn and retain information. Here are a few ideas:
- Use music and movement. There are many songs and dances that incorporate maths concepts. You can also use movement activities to help students visualise and understand maths concepts.
- Make maths creative. Have students create their own maths art projects, write maths poems, or compose maths songs.
- Tell maths stories. There are many children’s books that feature maths concepts. You can also make up your own maths stories to help students relate to the subject.
No matter what activities you choose, make sure to adapt them to meet the needs of all of your students. Maths Week England is a great opportunity to use the Path to Success to help all of your students develop a love of maths.