Putting Fun Back into Maths with Jo Skelton and Ruth Merttens

How we can bring purpose, autonomy and joy into our maths lessons? - ask Professor Ruth Merttens, creator of the Hamilton Maths Scheme, and Jo Skelton, a Mathematics Education lecturer.

Through their conversation about the future of mathematics education within the UK curriculum, Ruth and Jo discuss the importance of understanding the 'why' behind mathematical concepts and the need for teachers to have autonomy in their teaching methods.

The conversation culminates with ideas on how teachers can regain control of their classrooms and boost their confidence in teaching maths.

• Consider the needs of your students first and foremost when teaching maths. Reflect on their current understanding and think about their next steps in learning.
• Use more models and images to help students understand complex concepts. Make use of resources such as those available on the Hamilton-Brookes website to highlight common misunderstandings.
• Reflect on your own attitudes towards maths and seek to build your confidence in the subject. Consider attending courses or training to improve your skills and confidence in teaching maths.
• Take a step back from prescribed teaching methods and take control of your classroom. Use teaching resources as a guide, but don't be afraid to adapt and tailor your teaching to your student's needs.
• Slow down the teaching process to ensure students have a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, rather than rushing through a large amount of content.

Jo Skelton is a senior lecturer in primary mathematics at Oxford Brookes University, where she works with pre-service and in-service teachers in the UK and internationally.

She is passionate about helping to make mathematics accessible to all, through building confidence and enjoyment of the subject.

Jo’s research interests include maths anxiety in teachers and the role of language in mathematics learning. Her current research projects focus upon how multilingual learners use their languages to build conceptual understanding, particularly when they are learning mathematics in a bilingual context.

Ruth Merttens is a Professor of Education, creator of the Hamilton Maths Scheme, the author of many books and has written Planning Guidance for DFE and the NNS. She was on the NC Maths Advisory Group at DfE. She contributes regularly to professional journals and magazines and was Lead Author of Abacus Maths (Pearson).

Ruth passionately believes that Primary Maths and English in the UK are well-taught by dedicated professionals, and that we have and should value our own distinct ethos, based on creative learning, inspirational teaching and critical thinking.

• Host: Ed Finch
• Producer: Laura Wilkes, Communicating for Impact
• Executive Producer: Joanna Borysiak, Hamilton Brookes
• Recorded and edited by: Story Ninety-Four

Primary Futures podcast is supported by funding from Oxford Brookes’ Small Knowledge Exchange Awards.