Mathematics at Kilberry Valley
At Kilberry Valley students develop their understanding and mathematical thinking through questioning. We create risk-taking environments where students share and justify their mathematical ideas. Through a wide variety of problems and strategies, students develop the fundamental proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning in mathematics.
Talk Cards
At Kilberry Valley we use Talk Cards to encourage ‘maths talk’ during whole class, small group and partner work. The ‘talk cards’ give students a lead to explain their thinking, justify their ideas as well as challenge another person’s idea or strategy. This helps students become critical, articulate mathematical thinkers.
Problem Solvers
We encourage students to be problems solvers using our 4 Step Problem Solving posters. When posed with a problem, students identify the key information they need to understand and solve the problem, devise a plan to solve it, put the plan into action and then check their results make sense in relation to the problem. See the page gallery above for our problem solving classroom visual display.
Mental Strategies
To encourage real-world mathematical thinkers we explore and practise a variety of strategies that students can use to help them work through a range of mathematical problems. Students build their ‘Mental Strategies Toolbox’ so they are equipped with the right tools to solve problems.
Hands-On
A hands-on approach to mathematics helps to foster stronger connections to concepts taught. We provide a wide range of materials for students so they can choose the resource that best suits the mathematical concept being learnt. Encouraging students to draw their thinking or represent it using manipulatives is a large part of our mathematical instruction. See the page gallery above for some examples of our students using a variety of hands on approaches.
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