Mathematics Teaching 193 - Dec 2005

Welcome - Helen Williams

As well as MT’s 50th anniversary giving us cause to reflect on the journal’s contribution to mathematics education, this issue marks a watershed in MT’s history.

A science of education - Alf Coles

It is almost twenty years since Caleb Gattegno, a co-founder of ATM, published The science of Education, a final account of his life's work in the study of teaching and learning. There has been little movement in the UK in the direction of the radical and remarkable vision he painted in that book; he was perhaps ahead of his time.

An account of the first decade of AT(A)M - Dick Tahta, Derek Fletcher et al

MT022 Now do the following fifty examples - David Fielker

MT118 Memory - Dave Hewitt

MT120 Only awareness is educable - John Mason

MT125 The science of education - Dick Tahta

MT139 ...ings - Laurinda Brown

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Mathematics Teaching Number 1... - Trevor Fletcher

When a teaching journal is founded various strategies are possible. You can enlist the support of a professional publisher, ensure adequate finance and start with a big bang. Over the last few decades a number of publications have started in this way. But we chose another method - you start with what you have, however modest, and you aim to make it grow.

MT1 (ATAM Bulletin No 1) [warning 5MB]

...And the next 100 issues - David Fielker

What gradually changed was scale, size and frequency and a slow introduction of some colour, never for the sake of it, but because it was needed mathematically.

MT66 Mathematics in mixed ability groups - Roy Kennard

Interview between David Fielker and David Wheeler

Early days of metrication

MT71 Humanising mathematical education - David Wheeler

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The elastic ruler and the Storchschnabel - Paul Stephenson

'The Elastic Ruler', is a piece which begins 'Take a short length, about 6 inches, of white shirring elastic...' and in the space of half a page uses this simple tool to cut a swathe through vast areas of transformation geometry.

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Where did it all start? - David Cain

'The pond in the picture (light grey) has sides of length A and B and the path around it has constant width and has the same area as the pond. What is the length of the diagonal of the 'path plus pond' rectangle in terms of A and B?'

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Reflecting on MT - Derek & Barbara Ball

We invited Derek and Barbara to reflect upon their period as editors of Mathematics Teaching. Here they refer to a number of articles from previous issues of MT.

MT140 Train spotter's paradise - Dave Hewitt

MT143 cover

MT155 Feature on Proof

MT145 Cover with Christmas hearts

MT145 Leif Kragh's Christmas hearts article

MT165 Centre spread about congruent polygons - Derek Ball

MT145 Content with process? - Mike Ollerton

Articles about differentiation

MT 161 Research into raising self-esteem in low attainers - Barbara Jaworski and Jane Edwards

From the branches: MT workshop - Laurinda Brown

Interestingly enough, compared to offerings to today’s teachers from various sources, the mathematics was complex...

Looking forward - Helen Williams

We believe that it is by focusing on the threads that bind us together as educators that will help us build a strong association of articulate teachers and others, able to withstand inappropriate and ill-conceived pressures.

Unique squares - Deepthi Raghavan

The number world is always interesting and keen observation provides us with a wealth of information. One such experience happened to me when I was casually playing with squaring numbers.

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Children teach a chicken - Tom O'Brien and Christine Wallach

The activity consists of inferring certain numerical rules by gathering data and testing hypotheses. In Mystery Woople, there are nine possible rules: divisible by 1, divisible by 2, divisible by 3, and so on up to divisible by 9. The computer randomly selects one of the rules and gives players three numbers which fit the rule.

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Inequalities and paper hats - Stephanie Prestage and Pat Perks

Provoking thinking about what mathematics you want the pupils to learn and then you need to think about activities for the pupils to learn with. Before we share our activities on inequalities we ought to tell you that we have been working on algebra...

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Thoughts on emergent maths - Suzanna Jacoby

I had long felt frustrated with some aspects of maths 'teaching' for Reception children. There were expectations of recording work, even though nearly all of the maths was practical in nature. You can take photographs of some activities, but that only records the doing, not the thinking.

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Taking the problem out of problem solving? - Laurie Jacques

The national curriculum for mathematics requires teachers to integrate Using and applying mathematics within the other programmes of study (Number, Shape, space and measures and Data handling).

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Playing with 50 years - Robin Stewart

OK - here we have the perfect party game for the festive season. Solve it all and you could win...heaps of self-esteem...

1955 solution from Deepthi Raghavan

1955 solution from Jean Holderness

1955 solution from Jenny Maxwell

1955 solution from Christian Rohrbach

1955 solution from Tom Krueger et al at Bradfield School

1955 solution from J Harris

1955 solution from Derek Ball: 'The lazy person's solution'

Words with... - Phil Boorman

Phil began in South London over 50 years ago - taking a mixed attainment class of 3rd year boys for most of their timetable - including, of course, mathematics. Fortunately, experimentation was encouraged and he enjoyed the freedom to design ways in which all the class members could share the responsibility for their learning.

MT160 Believing is seeing - Phil Boorman's closing address at the 1997 ATM conference

More about Phil Boorman in ATM People

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Bridges: between mathematics and art - Phillip Kent and John Sharp

Mathematics is the source of a virtually limitless number of rich and beautiful images and structures, provided one has the inclination and some skills to 'read' and understand their æsthetic.

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Geoff Giles

I was a guinea pig for many of Geoff’s materials for the past 20 years. I am so very lucky that I had the best maths tutor around, although tutoring sessions lasted hours, as Geoff never told me the answer, he guided me to it from first principles.

Tributes to Geoff Giles in ATM People

1 Correlation Street - Jonny Griffiths

Read the first of a new series by Jonny Griffiths - Correlation Street: "a mixture of what I would like to happen, and what I am glad does not happen in my classroom..."

Reflections - John Mason

Listening means hearing not only what learners say, but attending to their tones, gestures, and postures, and what they leave unsaid.

Professional Officer's Update - Barbara Ball

Barbara Ball's farewell and a little about David Cowley who will following in her footsteps.