This project to the 2022 Year 7&8 students and teachers of Ruapotaka School. I also wish to acknowledge Priscilla Allan, who allowed me a lot of time and reflecting to keep this project going, and offering her insight for Algebro's as a high school maths teacher.

The aim of this page comes from a recognised need in my school, to boost and improve student achievement in Mathematics. Across the school, our students are achieving well below their peers across the nation in this subject. We are making gradual improvements but still have more to do.

I am an experienced Year 7&8 teacher and recognise the urgency and importance of students entering high school, to be as best prepared as they can be, to manage their learning in across the whole curriculum.

Algebra is just one part of maths but connects many facets to be literate in numeracy. Calculating measurements, inverting numbers and operations, working with integers, fractions, balancing equations - these are just a few places we use algebraic formula and equations outside of algebra itself. Entering high school with an ability to expand, simplify and complete equations will provide students a platform or base of experience to build their other areas for development.

The development of this project was possible with my target group, the 2022 Year 7&8 students of Ruapotaka School. I am especially grateful for the help of this year's Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers colleagues and coaches, Matt Goodwin and Dorothy Burt. Special thanks also to Priscilla Allan and James O'Brien for their guidance and input.

The creation of Algebro's started with my target group and I learning the basics of algebra and what it even looked like in paper in our daily lives. Algebra was a focus for some time in our maths programmes this year, before becoming a maintenance task to complement the other areas of maths we were learning about.

What was great to see in student's was their rise in self-confidence and belief that they could go from answering simple one-step equations to more complicated one involving integers, fractions, division and expanding brackets.

With this tool, you'll also see I have included practise for times tables and integers. These became noticeable areas for development the more my students practised and used this tool.

It is my hope that this digital tool may also be used within your classes, to either help or extend your student's learning and ability in Maths.

Yours Sincerely

Jonathan Nevalagi - Year 7 Teacher, Ruapotaka School