October 29, 2018
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Comments Off on Is maths creative?
Prior to the discovering maths elective, I would never have associated maths with the term ‘creative’. When thinking about this concept myself, I found it was only right to see if those around me shared my original thoughts, that maths is not creative. When surveying 10 of my friends and family, who have not taken […] Continue reading
October 29, 2018
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Comments Off on Face, Maths and Evolution. How does it all mix?
Would you believe me if I said that mathematics can judge your facial proportion? Well unfortunately it can in a very accurate and understandable way. In our most recent input for our Discovering Mathematics module we unearthed how to draw a face accurately. For myself I have always had a creative ambition and enthusiasm, but …
Continue reading “Face, Maths and Evolution. How does it all mix?”
October 29, 2018
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Comments Off on Can we touch the moon?
Education is one of the first places that allow children to build a realistic foundation of knowledge. It wasn’t until my first school placement that I began to understand the importance of putting fact into visual representation that all children understand. Therefore, if this is inaccurate it will result in a generation (or even generations) …
October 29, 2018
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Comments Off on Luck? I Don’t Think So
Chance or luck? Which one is involved when guessing what side of a coin will land on or gambling at the roulette table? Turns out there is more maths involved than you would think. Probability is an aspect of maths that is used within our daily lives and influences the decisions we make. It also […] Continue reading
October 29, 2018
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Comments Off on Something or Nothing?
What is zero? A number or nothing at all? Before the lecture about place value, I had never considered the significance of zero or how anything interesting can be gleaned from it. Essentially, it was another number that was just there along with its friends 1,2,3 and so on. Though after some research, it becomes […] Continue reading
October 28, 2018
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Comments Off on Should you Stick or Switch?
When taking a multiple-choice test, it often seems one answer is correct initially, however, on further reflection you think a different answer is correct. In this situation, is it better to switch or stick with your first answer? Most people believe you should avoid changing your answer, but research has shown that most answers are […] Continue reading
October 27, 2018
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Comments Off on Stick or Twist
Gambling – the activity or practice of playing at a game of chance for money (Dictionary.com). But are we really playing by chance? Let’s find out. First let’s discover what chance is; Chance is the possibility of something happening (oxford dictionary). It can also be described more mathematically as probability.Say you have a coin. It […] Continue reading
October 26, 2018
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Comments Off on Thinking Fast & Thinking Slow
According to Kahneman (2011), our thought process is determined by two different systems – impulsive/automatic and thoughtful/deliberate – also considered as system 1 and system 2. He makes apparent that for the majority of the time we should be using our system 2, however, this is not what happens. In fact, the reason we don’t […] Continue reading
October 26, 2018
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Comments Off on So what is meant by Counter Intuitive Mathematics?
Why do losses attract more attention that gains? Why do our brains stick with the original answer in a multiple-choice test? These are questions that were picking through my brain when we spoke about Counter Intuitive Maths. Such as the two ways our brains function answers such as System 1 and 2 which I will … Continue reading So what is meant by Counter Intuitive Mathematics? → Continue reading
October 25, 2018
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Comments Off on Is Curriculum for Excellence a ‘Sunk Cost Fallacy’?
For the past 8 years, Scotland has functioned on Curriculum for Excellence as a means for educating children. A curriculum that was created with a lot of hard work from government officials over a long period of time. However, many people would argue that the way the curriculum was formed has many flaws. One argument […] Continue reading
October 25, 2018
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Comments Off on Space is big, really REALLY big
One of the ways that teachers across Scotland are trying to encourage positive affective domains within children in their maths is by making it more relevant. By applying mathematical concepts to everyday real life concepts, we can encourage children to appreciate the application of maths in society. For example, as teachers we cover a range […] Continue reading
October 23, 2018
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Comments Off on The Math Brain Myth
Maths was always a favourite subject of mine at school, however I suffered from maths anxiety. I only ever begun feeling anxious towards maths when i studied both national 5 and higher mathematics. I used to think that there was only one set way of doing each type of question and the only way i […] Continue reading
October 23, 2018
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Comments Off on Learning Maths Through Play
To many individuals, maths and play are not connected at all. When it comes to maths many people describe it as ‘boring’, ‘torture’ or ‘something which was compulsory’. This is a devastating matter as, in reality, this should not be the case (Early Years). The Curriculum For Excellence has a huge focus on using active […] Continue reading
October 22, 2018
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Comments Off on Do we ‘Place Value’ on our understanding of Mathematics?
During my time on placement, the aim of one of my group lessons was to teach the children who were ‘struggling’ all they needed to know about place value in one 30-minute slot. Simple right?… Armed with white boards and place value blocks we headed to the group study area where I could begin my […] Continue reading
October 22, 2018
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Comments Off on Me and My Maths Anxiety
Throughout my journey to being where I am right now, training to be a primary school teacher, I have had to persevere and overcome some hurdles on the way. The biggest and baddest of them all is MATHS. I tried to ignore it and avoid it but when the choice came up for me to […] Continue reading
October 21, 2018
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Comments Off on ‘Maths Anxiety’ You’re Not Alone
The dreaded fear of a maths test resulting in; sweaty palms, increased heart rate and that tight knot feeling inside your stomach. This phenomenon is called ‘maths anxiety’. Researchers say around 20% of our nation suffer from ‘maths anxiety’ (Rubinsten, 2017). What’s going on? And can it be fixed? Maths anxiety is as simple as […] Continue reading
October 20, 2018
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Comments Off on Mathstronomy
Can mathematics be used to allow pupils to explore the world around them and even the entire universe? We often tell our pupils to aim for the stars, but would this metaphor be even more effective if pupils knew exactly how far away these stars actually are? Many young children I spoke to on placement […] Continue reading
October 20, 2018
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Comments Off on Mathstronomy
Can mathematics be used to allow pupils to explore the world around them and even the entire universe? We often tell our pupils to aim for the stars, but would this metaphor be even more effective if pupils knew exactly how far away these stars actually are? Many young children I spoke to on […] Continue reading
October 18, 2018
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Comments Off on Chance of Me Gaining an Appreciation for Maths – Extremely Likely
Probability – the next (and successful) leap in convincing me of how relevant mathematics actually is. This module has been effective in changing previously negative perceptions of maths, one of which in particular is that the terms ‘maths’ and ‘complex’ go together like bread and butter – this is not the case. Granted, parts of it […] Continue reading
October 18, 2018
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Comments Off on Would You Chance it All?
How often do you take a chance? The answer would be every day. Every day we take a chance, whether it be crossing the road, going to the gym or simply choosing to watch the TV. We cannot predict the potential outcome of doing something, yet, without even thinking, we create the factors that are […] Continue reading
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