What have you enjoyed about the multiply provider support sessions that you have taken part in?
The aim of me becoming a maths ambassador was twofold. I believe that anyone can improve their skills and I want to ‘shout this from the rooftops’. Most learners I meet are completely disengaged with a ‘can’t do, won’t do’ attitude and I am determined that everyone that comes through my classroom door leaves with a better understanding of maths and improves their skills along the way!
Furthermore, I want to raise the profile of maths within my department. I work alongside a dedicated team of Apprenticeship Assessors who deliver qualifications in childcare and dental, to name a few. They have a difficult job to ensure our learners are ready to sit on End Point Assessment, but without maths, learners can’t progress. I want to work with the Assessors on embedding maths within all lessons in the hope that a joined-up working approach leads to a better achievement rate.
How important is it for your maths delivery to share best practice and engage with other professionals?
This programme is a lifeline for me. As the only person delivering maths to the Apprenticeship Programme there is little opportunity to share ideas and reflect on my practice. Speaking with other professionals helps me to understand that some of the issues I have are widespread across the sector and of course, I benefit from learning what everyone else is doing.
What top tip would you like to share with other maths practitioners?
In my aim to promote maths to my learners and for them to understand better how it fits into everyday life, I have created a notice board in which I change the content monthly. In June, I highlighted the election and each political party and how their manifestos linked to maths. This month’s focus, for which I have called ‘July in Numbers’, shares current news stories. I have everything from housing targets to tennis – did you know that approximately 54,250 balls are use throughout the Wimbledon competition? Mind-blowing! What a great maths fact!
