The Maths Workshop for Primary parents on 8 December 2023 was a significant effort to strengthen our students' mathematical foundations. The workshop agenda covered essential aspects of the Maths curriculum that we implement in the Primary School, and it provided parents with practical insights and tools for effectively supporting their children with Maths at home. To begin, an introduction to White Rose Maths was shared. This explained why we use this learning scheme at BISS and what to expect from our students’ learning within their Maths lessons. The discussions then delved into the different stages of Maths learning and the benefits thereof.
White Rose Maths represents an innovative educational initiative, prioritising a thorough grasp of Mathematics with a pedagogical approach which aims to elevate mathematical and problem-solving skills. The White Rose Maths scheme places the Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract (CPA) methods as central to achieving mastery in Mathematics.
More about the Concrete Stage:
This is the "doing" stage, during which students use tangible objects to represent and model mathematical problems. In contrast to conventional teaching methods where teachers typically demonstrate solutions, the CPA approach breathes life into concepts by enabling children to engage with and manipulate physical, concrete objects first. To highlight the vital role of manipulatives in enhancing students' reasoning abilities, the workshop included a hands-on experience that was both engaging and immersive. During this practical activity, the attending parents engaged with a mathematical problem using concrete manipulatives.
More about the Pictorial Stage:
This is the "seeing" stage, which involves using pictures to model mathematical problems. During this phase, children are prompted to establish a mental link between the concrete objects they've interacted with and the picture representations. Drawings, diagrams and models are used to demonstrate problem-solving.
More about the Abstract Stage:
This is the "symbolic" stage, during which children engage with the different Maths concepts on a symbolic level and model mathematical problems by employing numbers, notation and mathematical symbols (e.g., +, –, x, ÷). Progression to this stage is dependent upon students showcasing a robust understanding of the preceding concrete and pictorial stages.
The CPA method is not focused on rushing the process to get an answer. Instead, it provides children with a deeper understanding of why steps within problem-solving lead to the solution. We use this approach across the Primary School to effectively teach Maths mastery. It ensures that learners solidify their comprehension of Maths, by demonstrating a full grasp of concepts. It also establishes a robust foundation for future learning and examinations in which reasoning and problem-solving become indispensable skills.
Moving away from the scheme of learning, the workshop discussions extended to topics of Maths fluency, reasoning and problem-solving, and the interconnected nature of these skills in students' mathematical development. To conclude the workshop, tips were shared on how to support children's Maths learning at home.
The Maths Workshop provided parents with valuable insights into the Primary School's Maths curriculum and teaching pedagogies. We thank all the parents who attended, as the collaborative effort between students, parents and teachers will surely ensure a robust mathematical education for the children.
