As we begin the term, I would like to stress the importance of helping your child/children develop a positive attitude towards Mathematics, especially during Remote Learning. Some children find it difficult to solve Mathematics problems and therefore develop a negative mindset towards Mathematics which means they give up very quickly. We want students to develop a growth mindset towards learning Mathematics.

Mathematics introduces children to concepts, skills, and thinking strategies that are essential in everyday life and support learning across the curriculum. Children delight in using Mathematics to solve a problem, especially when it leads them to an unexpected discovery or new connections. As their confidence grows, they look for patterns, use logical reasoning, suggest solutions and try out different approaches to problems. Mathematics offers children a powerful way of communicating. They learn to explore and explain their ideas using symbols, diagrams and spoken and written language. They start to discover how Mathematics has developed over time and contributes to our economy, society and culture. Studying Mathematics stimulates curiosity, fosters creativity and equips children with the skills they need in life beyond school.

Listed below are suggested ideas you could do at home to help your child engage in Mathematics:

• Ask your child to start counting from a number other than one. This will help them when they need to add two groups together and can start counting from the larger group.
• Ask your child to tell you the number before or after a number. How old will you be next year? How old were you last year?
• Ask your child to give you enough plates, cups or cutlery for each person when setting the table.
• Play games such as Dominoes, Snakes and ladders, card games or board games involving dice with dot patterns. This will help your child to recognise patterns and count.
• Collect and sort shells/pebbles etc. Count how many are in each group.
• Look at and say the numbers on license plates and road signs.
• Ask your child to help you count the pieces as you cut up food such as pie, quiche, fruit or sandwiches.
• Have your child help share out food to the family. For example, how many slices will I need to cut the pizza into so that everyone has two slices?
• Ask your child to share out items fairly with others.
• Count the number of things in a collection, such as items in a bag or a large jar of buttons. Ask your child if there is a quick and easy way of counting, e.g. counting by tens, fives or twos.

In the School Newsletters this term, we will provide you with a variety of Maths questions/ideas that your child could complete at their leisure. Please feel free to be involved in these activities. These questions/ideas might be targeted at Infants, Primary or Upper Primary students. If you think the questions are not suitable for your child’s stage, please do not hesitate to change the numbers to suit your child’s level.

Remote Learning / PB4L
As we commence Term 3, we find ourselves undertaking remote learning again. As Mrs Davidson has stated, this is not an ideal situation for anyone, as we are all impacted in some way. On the slides that the students access each morning, there is a slide that reminds them of how they can be Safe, Respectful and Responsible while participating in Remote Learning. If your child/ren follows these expectations, it should make the process of remote learning a lot smoother for your household. Please refer to them throughout the day to give praise where due, as well as reminders, which I am sure, are very rare. 
Take care, look and after yourself.

Mr Green
Assistant Principal