During  my first year placement within a primary 6/7 class, i found myself finding the maths lessons very difficult to teach. The highest maths group were learning about problem solving using decimals. For some reason i was finding this extremely hard to break down and explain. I then realised that i was finding some simple things difficult in order to understand, let alone how to explain it effectively to the children.

I couldn’t get my head round why i was finding simple maths questions so difficult and i was too embarrassed to admit it and ask for help. I then realised through a conversation with the class teacher that I wasn’t taught the basics effectively during primary school due to asking for help and getting told to “sit down and work it out myself”. This wasn’t helpful. This advice caused me to often sit for the rest of the lesson, stuck on the same question. I’d then get into trouble for not finishing the page. How was this method of teaching fair? Due to a teacher being bored of me asking for help too often, my missing knowledge is now effecting me in later life.

This is why i have chosen this elective. I don’t want to be that teacher who sat behind her desk and didn’t see a child was struggling and needed extra help. I want to be able to be confident whilst teaching maths and be able to assist the children effectively. I don’t want my pupils being effected in later life due to my non-existing support as i myself didn’t have a full understanding on the topic.

What’s the point in becoming a primary teacher when you can’t be bothered with your pupils asking questions or get annoyed when they approach your desk more than once. Teachers are in place to support children throughout their time at primary school and make sure they have the key skills and knowledge to prepare them for later education. Hence why I want to make sure I enhance my knowledge within maths in order to ensure my pupils get the correct information and support.