February 24, 2021
Award-Winning Maths Program for Rockingham Schools
Maths lessons will never be the same when eight primary school teachers from the Kwinana-Rockingham area kick-start the award-winning Alcoa Champions of Maths program in Term 1.
Alcoa Champions of Maths is an intensive year-long program based on international best-practice teaching techniques that build capability and confidence in teachers to facilitate deeper learning of mathematical concepts. It introduces discussion, problem solving and reasoning to take students beyond rote learning to internalising the concepts they encounter.
Scitech and Alcoa Australia have been delivering the Champions of Maths program in the Upper South West, Peel and Kwinana areas since 2019, with remarkable results. Evaluation of the program has shown a 50% increase in teacher confidence to teach problem solving and a 34% increase in assessing reasoning. Students have also substantially improved performance in standard testing while participating in the program.
Scitech Chief Executive Officer Kalien Selby said empowering teachers with a different approach to learning clearly translates into improved maths skills in students.
“This is important to tackle from an early age to set students up for a successful learning journey that develops conceptual and abstract thinking; enabling meaningful workforce participation in the future,” Ms Selby said.
“We are excited to continue to work with Alcoa and to welcome our new 2021 cohort of teachers to shift the dial on developing real passion and excitement for teaching and learning maths.”
Suellen Jerrard, Alcoa Australia Corporate Affairs Manager, said “Alcoa was proud to continue to support ground-breaking ways to enhance maths education to help ensure students have the knowledge and confidence to be successful in the modern workplace, where STEM skills will be paramount”.
Alcoa Champions of Maths is an intensive mentoring and coaching program consisting of expert training, observation, reflection and assisted planning. Teachers are recruited into the program based on a demonstrable commitment to improve their maths teaching and desire to become a maths leader in their school community.
As well as improving their day-to-day classroom practice, participants share their learning with colleagues to create a multiplier effect that, ultimately, could benefit more than 8,000 students over three years.
In 2021, two teachers from Makybe Rise Primary School, Baldivis Primary School, Peter Carnley Anglican Primary School and Settlers Hill Primary School have been recruited into the program.