Ideas For Building Confidence In Maths

In my many years as a Maths teacher across the Primary age groups, I have used strategies to install a love and curiosity for maths and ways to dispel the fear around maths.

1. As a teacher and parent have high expectations for your child with their maths learning.

2. Dispel maths myths break through a belief that I can t do maths or no-one in our family is good at maths.`

3. In my maths teaching I am careful to use words like tricky problems/calculations instead of using words like hard, difficult which already builds up negative thoughts in the child s head.

4. I always talk to the children about Maths is about patterns and ideas, once you see that you can tackle any problem or calculation.

5. Ensure your child learns their time tables inside out, upside down!!This will develop number confidence which is the key.

6. Encourage mistake-making. For children to be successful, they need to talk through concepts and making mistakes along the way. In class, I use partner teaching with the children to reinforce new ideas and concepts.

7. Play mathematical games because they are fun and motivating and I feel getting maths ideas in through the back door! It encourages the children to think mathematically. In class, I used card games, dice games and dominoes and I have seen how it reinforces number sense and ideas especially in children who struggle with readily recalling number facts.

Creative maths is very important too. I love teaching mathematical art with the children reinforcing geometry based skills.