Information for teachers

Welcome

Mathematicians Glenda Anthony and Margaret Walshaw emphasise that it’s through tasks more than any other means, that students learn what it means to be mathematical. This was at the forefront of our mind when selecting and creating the tasks available of the Thinking Mathematically website. Our aim is also to illustrate and share the joy that can come with mathematics and being mathematical. We are very purposeful in our use of language. We often refer to the students and one another as mathematicians, and we wonder and explore ideas. We also question and listen as mathematicians.

The tasks available on the Thinking Mathematically website are often inspired by and adapted from the work of trusted researchers and quality resources, including:

• ReSolve

• NRICH

• youcubed

• Jo Boaler

• Peter Sullivan

• Mike Askew

• Dianne Siemon

The tasks and lessons on this site are not exemplars. They are intended to be good enough examples to use with your students, as conversation starters and even form part of professional learning.

Once you click on the stage for the resources that you are after, you will find that the site is divided into two sections; a targeted teaching section and a contexts for practise section.

Targeted teaching section

The targeted teaching section includes tasks that explicitly explore mathematical ideas, skills and capabilities.

Contexts for practise section

In the contexts for practise section, you will find rich games and investigation tasks where students can deepen their understanding and knowledge, practise skills and develop fluency. These opportunities are still targeted as they are intentionally selected to support understanding developed in the 'targeted teaching' section.

How to use this resource

The tasks included in both of these sections are intended to support learners who span a very broad range of skills and understanding. As such, it is anticipated that teachers may use this site in a number of ways. One way is to dip in and out of the activities, selecting tasks that support your teaching and learning program and the needs of your students. Another way is to follow a learning sequence. In the Learning from home 2 week learning sequences page, you will find examples of how the content can fit together and possible ways of organising it for your students. You will also find corresponding student workbooks for those sequences. Either way, we hope these tasks provide learning experience you can use, refine and innovate upon.

The maths matched tasks across stages document highlights some possible the vertical and horizontal links between the tasks in the learning sequences.

Use the task catalogue to sort through the tasks in the Thinking mathematically resource. You can apply filters and search and sort by stage, targeted teaching, number talk, context for practice as well as by mathematical focus.