The Victorian Government has appointed four Victorian Maths Ambassadors who will help nurture a love of maths in the next generation, as well as launching a new Mathematics Position Statement.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll has announced Ms Eleanor Drayton from Hume Central Secondary College, Ms Emily Glen from Mount Pleasant Road Primary School, Mr Patrick Kennedy from Our Lady Star of the Sea Ocean Grove and Ms Stephanie Nitschke from Nazareth Catholic Primary School Grovedale as the inaugural Victorian Mathematics Ambassadors.
“Victoria’s first Maths Ambassadors are among the most passionate teachers in our state and will support Victorian schools and teachers inspire a love of maths in our students and foster the next generation of maths talent,” Minister Carroll said.
The ambassadors will strengthen the connection between the education sector and students in mathematics, create strategies to connect students’ interests and learning styles with maths and equip families with tools and resources to support their child’s mathematics studies at home. They will be in their roles from now until 2026.
The ambassadors were selected for their demonstrated experience in helping students develop a positive attitude, motivation to learn, and academic achievement in mathematics.
Ms Drayton has over 10 years’ experience teaching with a Master of Education in Professional Practice; Ms Glen has over 10 years’ experience teaching, with eight years in leadership; Mr Kennedy has over 10 years’ experience teaching and in a learning specialist role and a Masters degree in Wellbeing; Ms Nitschke has over 10 years’ experience with a Master of Education in Leadership.
While Victorian Year 3 students continue to lead the nation in both reading and numeracy, Minister Carroll said there is more work to do in secondary school numeracy.
The Mathematics Position Statement describes how Victorian government schools will make best practice common practice, and embed evidence-based practices aligned with the updated Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) 2.0 to support students to excel in mathematics.
Victorian students will be supported through a focus on getting the basics right first – knowing their times tables and excelling at the basic foundations to then apply this through problem solving.
The statement is complemented by ready-to-use mathematics lesson plans, the first of which are now available to all schools. The lesson plans will strengthen students’ mathematics and numeracy outcomes by providing schools with high-quality materials to make best practice, common practice across Victorian government schools.
Further information about Victoria’s Maths Ambassadors can be found here: www.vic.gov.au/victorian-mathematics-ambassadors
