Developing mathematical concepts through play - Carmyllie Primary School
Lorraine Smith teaches P1-3 at Carmyllie Primary School on the outskirts of Arbroath. She considers herself very fortunate to have large spaces to accommodate practical activities both inside and outside her classroom. These spaces have been developed into play areas and each week Lorraine sets her pupils a practical maths challenge to be completed in one of them.
On finishing the activity, pupils carry out self and peer assessment, and complete a simple evaluation sheet. They must reach agreement on how well they coped with the task and how well they feel they functioned as a group.
Although materials required for this approach are many and varied, few have had to be purchased: Lorraine is simply making better use of what is already there. All challenge cards and photographs are kept on file, and should prove a helpful resource in the future.
Most Shape, Measure and Data Handling concepts are now developed through play. The school has adapted its planning sheets to cater for this, with the column identifying workbook pages having been replaced with one entitled ‘Cross Curricular Links and Links to Play Activities’.
Lorraine has also produced an information leaflet for parents and plans to hold a ‘Maths Evening’ early next session so that the parents may experience the approach first-hand, with their children. Discussions are also currently taking place on how the scheme may be extended into the P4-7 class.
Although this project has been implemented over a relatively short timescale, Lorraine is convinced it has had a positive impact on attainment.
Lorraine Smith, primary teacherMy pupils have a new enthusiasm for maths and can readily recall concepts that they have covered in this way. I’ve also noticed they are far better at co-operating and working together. There were lots of silly squabbles amongst groups at the beginning but these have not happened for a long time. The children now work as a team and learn from each other.
The challenges are quite simple to prepare and set up. There is in fact less preparation (and marking!) than there is when textbooks and workbooks are used.
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