Growing mathematical learners

Results in the International Trends in Mathematics and Sciences Study, and the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement, have meant there has been recent focus on mathematics education in New Zealand. As with previous iterations of assessment result reports, the quality of teachers, teaching, teacher education, professional learning, mathematics programmes and curriculum have been questioned by the media. It seems that change in mathematics education in New Zealand may, once again, be imminent. In this paper, there is a plea that any change needs to retain what is positive about mathematics education in New Zealand. Teachers need to be supported to grow their own mathematics content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge so they can make autonomous and sound decisions for their own students’ needs, while retaining the ethic of care they already foster in their classrooms. Support needs to be in the form of rich, centrally managed yet locally adapted, non-divisive resources and professional learning.   Furthermore, any change to mathematics education in New Zealand needs to be centred around students and teachers engaging in authentic mathematics practice. A challenging task approach is described that supports this practice, which has been successfully trialled with New Zealand teachers. In this approach, content is not pre-taught. Rather, teachers support the students to solve challenging tasks by moving through the phases of Launch, Explore, Summarise, and Reflect.