The initial meeting of the London NE Maths Hub Early Algebra Workgroup was held at Stratford School Academy on January 7th. Delegates attended from 1, 2 and 4 form entry primary schools.
The Hub is responding to a need in the local area as evidenced from recent primary mathematics network meetings and their evaluations. Subject leaders have requested training in algebra, with a focus on mastery teaching especially as it features more prominently in the new curriculum.
Participants are learning how to achieve mastery in primary mathematics built on a foundation of early algebra using Cuisenaire rods, Gattegno textbooks and conceptual mathematics notation.
The project has three elements:
Subject Knowledge: Early algebra curriculum unfolding (Gattegno, Common Sense of Learning Mathematics 1974; Goutard, Mathematics and Children; Benson, The Primary Mathematics: Lessons from the Gattegno School). (Algebra First notation) 2011.
Pedagogy: What we owe children: The subordination of teaching to learning, Caleb Gattegno, 1970; How we learn and how we should be taught: an introduction to the work of Caleb Gattegno, Young and Messum, 2011.
Co-operative Learning Environment: Benson, 2011 (op cit).
The work is facilitated by Sociality Mathematics CIC, a social enterprise founded in 2011 to support mathematics education in the Tizard community of schools.
Ian Benson, CEO (Acting) Sociality Mathematics CIC asset-locked to Churchill College in the University of Cambridge.
