Catholic Education SA invites expressions of interest from teachers to be involved in the three Year Middle Years Numeracy Project.

Vacancies exist for teachers to join this project commencing in 2013.  Individuals or small groups of teachers from a school are invited to submit expressions of interest. 

The project requires teachers to:

• keep evidence of students’ learning and their reflection as part of their professional learning;
• attend 7 full day workshops each year (2 days in Terms 1, 2 and 3 and 1 day in Term 4);
• meet once per term, after school (4.00 pm – 6.00 pm), within a collaborative setting, to further reflect on their students’ learning.

Teachers participating in this project will work collaboratively in their classrooms with a Numeracy Consultant two or three times per term. Teachers will need to be released for a lesson following each of these classroom visits to debrief, review and plan with the consultant. 

In 2013, the Numeracy Middle Year Project will address Number and Algebra as a mathematical strand in the Australian Curriculum.

Project Objectives

Participating teachers will attend seven full day professional learning workshops in order to:

• develop an understanding of inquiry learning and what it may look like for mathematics learning and numeracy development;
• develop a shared understanding about how students construct mathematical knowledge and develop numeracy;
• reflect on effective pedagogies and students’ thinking in mathematics and numeracy;
• further develop their knowledge and understanding in the broader study of mathematics and numeracy;
• explore current literature and research relating to mathematics education, numeracy and education in general;
• plan and implement learning programmes to support the development of students’ mathematics and numeracy;
• use an action research model and case study to reflect on their students’ learning and their own teaching practices;
• expand their understanding of the use of digital technologies in learning mathematics and in developing numeracy;
• support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum.

Participating teachers will be expected to:

• use an inquiry approach in the learning of mathematics;
• engage with the Australian Curriculum to plan programs and to review and challenge existing practices;
• read, reflect on, and discuss papers relating to theories on how students construct knowledge in mathematics and numeracy;
• research contemporary and effective pedagogies in mathematics and numeracy in primary and middle years settings;
• be reflective learners who aim to have student-centered programmes at the heart of their practice;
• use an action research model to support learning in their classroom and to reflect on their own practice;
• study a sample of students representative of differences in gender, thinking levels and cultural backgrounds;
• maintain case records of the targeted students in their class and be prepared to engage in discussions with a Numeracy Consultant and others regarding the student’s thinking and learning;
• participate in all workshop days and after-school sessions.

Please register your expression of interest by Friday 16 November 2012.