Progress in maths as easy as 1-2-3

Steven Turner, 12, is more confident about doing maths after being in Mrs Walsh's class. Photo / Ben Fraser

A maths class started at a Rotorua school with one set of worksheets and 12 students has "flourished" into a full programme helping to raise student achievement in the subject.

Helene Walsh was working as a teacher aide at Rotorua Intermediate School when she noticed a gap in student achievement for maths.

She approached one of the school's deputy principals asking to set up a class designed to "top up" the maths lessons the students already had.

"When I went to the deputy principal four years ago with this idea she saw the need for it and gave me whatever resources and funding she could to get me started.

"I had 12 students and one set of worksheets in the beginning and when the school saw the massive turnaround in student ability and confidence, I was given the classroom to let the programme flourish."

Now Mrs Walsh delivers her programme to more than 50 students and has multiple ringbinders filled with exercises and games.

She said the 30-minute class was largely self-guided by the students and she was there to help them if they had any questions.

"This class is all about students having fun with maths and enjoying themselves while they're learning."

She said all her students made progress with their skills, but it was the increase in student confidence that was the biggest accomplishment.

"The most feedback I've had from teachers is that kids who previously shrunk away when asked a maths question are now willing to give it a go.

"It's that confidence building that is really key in this programme because with some confidence, these students want to improve their skills rather than just giving up or using the excuse that they're 'bad at maths'."

Mrs Walsh said she was grateful her programme was given the chance to grow.

"I've been really lucky to be employed by a school who saw the need for this programme and allowed me to run with it.

"I think a lot of other schools in Rotorua would benefit from it and we would start to see more students in the system with confidence when it comes to tackling maths."

A damning report was released this month about the Numeracy Project, a programme rolled out across most primary schools 15 years ago.

The New Zealand Initiative report suggested achievement levels in maths had been in decline since the programme was introduced due to the lack of emphasis on the basics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.