Strength In Numbers

Challenges teaching at a culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged school, building an action plan, gathering quality data, and overcoming the language barrier with a universal language: mathematics. Dandenong Primary’s Assistant Principal, Terri Truscott, and AAMT’s Education Specialist, Denise Halliday, explore lessons learned in the process of implementing concepts from Peter Liljedahl’s fantastic ‘Building Thinking Classrooms’, metacognition, inspiring rich mathematics dialogue, using pre- and post-assessments, selectively responding to student questions, and more. Key Links:Check out Dandenong Primary School:https://www.dandenongps.vic.edu.au/ Contact Terri Truscott:Terri.Truscott@education.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest host Denise Halliday speaks with Leanne West and Vicky Schavoni, two passionate maths educators who joined the AAMT’s 2024 North American Study Tour. Together, they reflect on what they learned visiting classrooms in Chicago and Calgary, attending the NCTM Conference, and connecting with teachers and leaders across the continent. From building thinking classrooms and vertical whiteboards to number talks and challenging problems, Leanne and Vicky share practical strategies that have transformed their teaching back home. They also discuss how strong school leadership, a spirit of collaboration, and international professional learning can reignite passion for maths education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Sam Ayre, mathematics isn’t just about numbers—it’s a language for thinking, reasoning and communicating. In this lively discussion with Allan Dougan, Sam describes how he helps students find confidence and voice in maths through classroom talk, group problem-solving, and conceptual understanding. He also offers advice for teachers wanting to make small, sustainable changes and highlights the power of collaboration through Tasmania’s Focus on Maths initiative. Key LinksPedagogy in Mathematicshttps://aamt.edu.au/resources/pedagogy-in-mathematics “Focus on Maths” InitiativeProject details and related resources are available via AAMT:https://aamt.edu.au/projects/focus-on-maths Peter Liljedahl – Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (Grades K–12)Official site and resources: https://www.buildingthinkingclassrooms.com/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maths enrichment, identifying student progress, the YMSA competition, and early career challenges. Trinity Grammar’s Mathematics Specialist, Jessica Zhu, joins AAMT’s Education Specialist, Denise Halliday, to discuss all things maths enrichment: open vs closed ended tasks, fighting against the forgetting curve, engendering maths creativity in students, the YMSA competition, Pi Day, and more. Key Links:Check out the YMSA competition:https://www.mathsthroughstories.org/competitions.html And explore AAMT’s resources, events, and news:https://aamt.edu.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The power of mini whiteboards, call and respond, quality multiple choice diagnostic questions, and other tools to gather reliable data from the classroom quickly. Host of the 'Mr Barton Maths' podcast, Head of Education at Eedi, author of 'How I Wish I'd Taught Maths', and creator of countless mathematics teaching websites, Craig Barton, joins Strength in Numbers to discuss effective ways to develop and grow as a teacher, his excitement over the ‘pre-test effect’, atomization, how to craft a good multiple choice question, the importance of common wrong answers, and so much more. Key Links:Explore countless resources, tools, research, and CPD:https://www.mrbartonmaths.com/topics/ https://tipsforteachers.co.uk/ And learn more about how AAMT can help you as a teacher:https://aamt.edu.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you’re in the classroom, leading a team, or shaping policy, Season 4 is about unpacking what matters most in maths education—and why. Together, we’ll explore; how data can inform responsive teaching, the role of rich tasks and open-ended challenges in building Thinking Classroom, turning assessment into agency and curriculum into culture This season, we dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities shaping maths education today. Host Allan Dougan is joined by teachers, leaders, and researchers who aren’t afraid to ask - and answer, the tough questions and share fresh insights.   Learn more about how AAMT can help you as a teacher:https://aamt.edu.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AAMT’s position paper “Pedagogy in Mathematics,” giving teachers back their voice, maintaining appropriate challenge, and how to get the most value from the paper.  Professor of mathematics education and AAMT’s board chair, Catherine Attard, joins Strength in Numbers to discuss the recently published position paper “Pedagogy in Mathematics,” a framework for action and improvements in your classroom, your school, and your approach, as well as the practices covered by the paper such as purposeful planning, developing mathematical proficiency, and adapting to and supporting all learners.   Key Links:Explore the Pedagogy in Mathematics paper here:https://aamt.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AAMT-Pedagogy-in-Mathematics.pdf And find helpful resources and research in the accompanying resource list:https://go.aamt.edu.au/2025PedagogyReadingList Sponsored by TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at https://www.tutero.com Get connected with more great resources at the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/     Podcast produced by Martin Franklin | East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AAMT’s study tour to the NCTM conference, ICME 15, the Focus on Maths grant program, and the Pedagogy in Mathematics paper. Mathematics Education Specialist at AAMT, Denise Halliday, joins Alan for a retrospective on the AAMT’s busy 2024, including events such as a study tour to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference in Chicago, the National Summit on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Education, the Australian Mathematics Education Journal and the Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom journal, professional learning initiatives and opportunities, as well as a look ahead to an exciting 2025. Key Links:Read the Pedagogy in Mathematics paper here:https://aamt.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AAMT-Pedagogy-in-Mathematics.pdf International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME 15)https://icme15.org/National Summit on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Educationhttps://atsima.com/national-summit-on-indigenous-mathematics-education/ National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (USA)https://www.nctm.org/ Learn how to join your local AAMT affiliated association here:https://aamt.edu.au/about-us/membership/aamt_affiliated_associations/ Sponsored by TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at https://www.tutero.com Get connected with more great resources at the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/     Podcast produced by Martin Franklin | East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Situating the curriculum in real life to engage students, giving purpose to learning, teaching that real data is never perfect, the value of not having the right answer as a teacher, and much more. Founder of the Australian Data Science Education Institute, author of Raising Heretics, PhD in Computer Science Education, and passionate educator, Dr Linda McIver joins Allan to discuss best practices to grow students into powerful critical thinkers, challengers of orthodoxy, analysts and problem solvers via asking difficult questions, providing real emotional connections to projects, using real, messy data to teach, and more.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links:Get hundreds of great resources from the Australian Data Science Education Institute:https://adsei.org/ Get Raising Heretics: Teaching Kids to Save the World from your favourite retailer:https://adsei.org/raising-heretics-how-data-science-education-can-change-the-world/ Get connected with more great resources at the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/     Podcast produced by Martin Franklin | East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The power of AI as a teaching aid, how to ethically use AI and ChatGPT as a thinking partner, content generator, and consumer of data. Co-CEO of Tutero, Joey Moshinski, and Education Specialist at AAMT, Denise Halliday join Allan to talk about the benefits, challenges, limitations, and ethics of using AI large language models as a tool to improve the teaching of mathematics, as well as challenges with equity of access, techniques to create prompts for your AI, tailoring common exercises to your classroom with AI, and how AI has more to offer to teachers than to students.   Key Links: Sign up for Tutero’s classroom software for free at:https://tutero.com.au And connect with Joey Moshinski on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-moshinsky-551540159 TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at https://www.tutero.com Get connected with more great resources at the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/     Podcast produced by Martin Franklin | East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The value of mathematical empathy, combatting societal perceptions about mathematics, meeting students where they are in order to understand them, and more. PhD Candidate and author of “Contemplating the Role of Mathematical Egotism”, Rebecca Burtenshaw joins Allan for a conversation on mathematical egotism, Rebecca’s journey from “disillusioned with mathematics” to PhD candidate in maths education, changing student’s relationships with mathematics, focusing more on student perceptions of mathematics, balancing collaboration and guidance, being aware of your own biases as a mathematics teacher, and contemplating what success in mathematics really means.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Read Rebecca’s paper on Mathematical Egotism here:https://go.aamt.edu.au/StrengthinNumbersS03E06 Burtenshaw, R. (2024). Contemplating the role of mathematical egotism. In T. Evans, O. Marmur, J. Hunter, G. Leach, & J. Jhagroo (Eds.). Proceedings of the 47th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 104–111). PME Or follow her on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-burtenshaw-32b79b191/     Podcast production by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studio https://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Student engagement, #lessonstarter, engaging students with concrete materials, supporting pre-service and early career teachers, and getting out of your comfort zone. Legendary Alice Springs based teacher, teacher educator, and maths consultant Matt Skoss shares with Allan his keys to student engagement, pedagogy choice, teaching mathematical collaboration, transitioning students from concrete to abstract, cultivating positive dispositions towards learning mathematics, how important it is to join the maths education community and share your personal experiences, and that the only person you can change is yourself, so get out there and try something new.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Follow Matt Skoss on X: https://x.com/matt_skoss Get fantastic inquiry-based lessons through the AAMT’s Maths300 resource: https://aamt.edu.au/teachers/resources/maths-300/   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studiohttps://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The accessibility and power of CODAP, finding the right tools to teach statistics, mining for dataset gold, linking students' lived experiences to statistics, and embracing the specificity of statistics. Director of Learning Analytics and Technology at Loreto College, Timothy Bond chats with Allan about teaching statistics to students, his journey from avoiding statistics to loving it, the benefits of using real datasets over artificial ones, avoiding being swamped with data, helping students learn with free software that runs in browser, the tension between computation and interpretation, and how to find authentic, verified data for teaching.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Get in touch with Timothy Bond on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyjbond/ Use CODAP completely free: https://codap.concord.org/for-educators/ Get connected with more great resources at the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studiohttps://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How playfulness in the classroom can help get through content more quickly, help students communicate difficulties, and motivate them to be more engaged and excited about mathematics. Australian Education Awards 2023’s Rising Star of the Year, Stephanie Thomas, joins Allan to share her unique approach to teaching her Specialist Mathematics and year 11/12 General Mathematics classes. She explains her promising results from creating a playful and excited culture within the classroom, giving students room to explore, inquire, and question, being brave when trying something new, and developing more than just good test results from students.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Contact Stephanie Thomas via email at: sthomas@iggs.qld.edu.au Or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-thomas-293064325/ Learn more about the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/    Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studiohttps://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reasoning boards, building confidence in teachers and students alike, avoiding pitfalls in pre-assessment, breaking down “right or wrong” thinking, and encouraging productive classroom discussion. Creator of Reasoning Boards, author of articles in both Prime Number and APMC Voluma 28, Donna McNeight joins the season 3 return of Strength in Numbers to help spread confidence in mathematics, effective learning tools, a willingness to try new things, and an understanding of the importance of reassurance and guidance for teachers too.TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Connect with Donna McNeight on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-mcneight-610b0458/ Learn more about the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers: https://aamt.edu.au/   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studiohttps://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The maths education pedagogy war, the role of questioning, inquiry based teaching, pedagogical paralysis, developing students who appreciate mathematics, and more. President of the American NCTM and 8th grade teacher of over 25 years, Kevin Dykema, and AAMT’s own president and maths education academic, Catherine Attard, join Allan to talk about the challenges universal to mathematics teaching regardless of hemisphere. They explore methods to choose the right pedagogy for the right moment, how there is no single cure-all solution to mathematics teaching, the seven key components of explicit teaching, lessons to learn from other teachers, and how students will show up in class the way they are and as teachers we must meet them there. TuteroTutero is a Melbourne-based Australian education company that empowers maths teachers with innovative AI tools to effortlessly create customised lesson plans, assessments, and activities. You can find them at www.tutero.com Key Links: Connect with Catherine Attard on X: https://x.com/attard_cAnd explore her work at: https://engagingmaths.com/ Get in touch with Kevin Dykema on X: https://x.com/kdykemaAnd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dykemamath/ Explore the AAMT’s Explicit Teaching in Maths resource: https://www.mathematicshub.edu.au/understanding-maths/professional-learning/explicit-teaching-in-maths/   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin/East Coast Studiohttps://eastcoaststudio.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Strength in Numbers podcast is back for its highly anticipated third season, and this time, we're diving deep into the heart of mathematics education. Join us as we hear from a diverse array of guests – from seasoned educators to renowned experts and academics – who unpack the challenges facing modern mathematics education. Whether you're an educator, a parent, or simply someone who wants to understand the complexities of modern mathematics education, this season of the "Strength in Numbers" podcast is not to be missed. Join us as we navigate the pedagogical battlegrounds and uncover the strategies and approaches that are truly making a difference in the lives of students around the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extending students creatively with the National Maths Talent Quest, the value of slow mathematics, contextualising theory with practice, how cybersecurity can engage students in mathematics, and the Maths Book Club WA. 2023 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools recipient, Donna Buckley shares her expertise and experience on engaging students via challenges, the relationship between maths, science, and encryption, championing others in maths, encouraging collaboration between students, and much more. Key Links:Connect with Donna Buckley on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-buckley-4642bb16b Girls’ Programming Network:https://www.girlsprogramming.network/ Contact Allan Dougan with guest suggestions at:https://twitter.com/allan_dougan See other exciting projects from the AAMT:https://aamt.edu.au/     Podcast produced by Martin Franklin / East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evidence-based thinking vs assumption-based thinking, the power of front-loading, and what a PLC even is. Nichols Point Primary School teachers Annie and Beck, along with Teaching and Learning Manager at Essential Assessment, Jacinta Browning join the podcast to talk about how they have utilised Essential Assessment to drive community wide improvement cycles, used a PLC as a vehicle for student-led growth, helped students share their progress with their parents, and nurtured a culture of learning. Key Links:Essential Assessment:https://www.essentialassessment.com.au/ Jacinta Browning:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacinta-browning-798824235/ Nichols Point Primary School:https://www.nicholspointps.com Annie O'Rourke:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-orourke-9a94b0223   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin / East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Using storytelling as a teaching tool, the value of the relationship between student and lesson, hit YouTube channel MisterWootube, and the unique approach of the Mathematics Growth Team. Professor of Practice at the University of Sydney, published author, TED speaker, TV host on ABC and Channel 10, and Mister Wootube himself, Eddie Woo joins this episode of the podcast to share the many lessons he has learned over his career about overcoming student trauma responses to mathematics, learning how your students learn, the secret ingredient to a good lesson, and so much more. Key Links:About Eddie Woo:https://misterwootube.com/2020/03/18/about/ LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/misterwootube YouTube (for Students):https://www.youtube.com/misterwootube YouTube (for Teachers):https://www.youtube.com/misterwootube2 TEDx Sydney Talk “Mathematics is the sense you never knew you had” https://youtu.be/PXwStduNw14   Podcast produced by Martin Franklin / East Coast StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.