Conference synopsis 20240805 - Flipbook - Page 62
SESSION C: Thursday, 2pm-3pm (cont.)
C13 GIVING A GUERNSEY TO GEOMETRY:
EMBEDDING GEOMETRY IN PRIMARY
CLASSROOMS
Subtheme: Pedagogy
Bernadette Mercieca and Connie Galati, Australian
Catholic University
(F to Year 8)
Geometry is a mandated part of the Victorian curriculum.
It helps to build spatial reasoning in students and develops
their logical thinking, deductive and analytical reasoning
skills, along with problem-solving skills. However, it is often
the Cinderella topic in Maths, being taught late in the year
and considered just a fun but less important part of Maths.
Further, many schools lack the resources to teach this subject
in a developmentally appropriate way (Zimmermann, 2019).
The Victorian Curriculum indicates that geometry should
be taught with concrete models in the early years moving
towards more abstract representations in the later years of
primary school and early secondary school. Van Hiele’s levels
of Geometric thought will be used to discuss key practical
strategies to teach geometry purposefully from years F- 8.
This will include the use of examples and non-examples,
using the Concrete-Representational-Abstract approach
with various manipulatives and visualising and classifying with
geo-sticks.
Key takeaways:
1. Practical ideas to implement in your classroom from F-8.
2. Opportunity to explore and evaluate concrete materials in
an interactive session.
C14 FUNDAMENTAL MATHS
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:
QUESTIONING & DISCUSSION
Subtheme: Pedagogy
Elizabeth Irwin, High Impact Leading and Learning
(HILL) Group Consultancy Pty. Ltd
(F to Year 8)
Join us for a practical, transformative workshop that delves
into the art and science of fostering rich questioning and
discussion in the mathematics classroom. Aligned with the
goals of NCTM and Australian Mathematics Curriculum
v9, our aim is to’nurture confident, creative users and
communicators of mathematics’.
THE MATHEMATICAL
ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA
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In this hands-on session, we will explore the nuances of
crafting deep and probing questions that not only engage
students with the content but also encourage them
to consider and explore the diverse perspectives and
conjectures of their peers. Through practical strategies and
tools, you will further refine the skills to facilitate meaningful
discussions that promote active participation, critical thinking,
and collaborative problem-solving. This workshop offers
valuable insights and techniques to elevate your mathematics
instruction and create dynamic learning environments where
students thrive as mathematicians and communicators.
Key takeaways:
Leave with:
1. Practical techniques for planning and implementing
purposeful questioning to assess and gather evidence of
student thinking.
2. Practical techniques to enhance opportunities for students
to engage in rich and rigorous mathematics.
Remember: Bring mobile device/laptop.
C15 REPRESENTING DECIMAL FRACTIONS
FROM CONCRETE TO THE ABSTRACT.
Subtheme: Pedagogy
Kris Westcott, Sackville Street Public School
(Year 3 to Year 8)
For many teachers, the go to manipulatives for teaching
decimal fractions are MAB blocks and money. Both can
confuse rather than support beginners. Complications with
MAB include relating the blocks to whole number thinking
and modelling decimals using discrete and/or area models.
While money is a highly abstract representation, the smallest
increment of Australian currency being the 5-cent piece,
denying students the ability to build by hundredths (cents)
up to the dollar. Further, the physical representation of
1-cent,10-cent and $1 are not proportional. This hands-on
workshop will engage participants, as a class of students,
approaching their learning of decimals to one, two and
three decimal places. The session will model a series of
collaborative tasks that have engaged and supported
students from Years 4 – 6 to develop a deep conceptual
understanding of decimal place value. Participants will
explore, structured and unstructured materials commencing
with a purely linear model.
