Families dine out on Bangers and Maths

MAKING IT COUNT: Richard Gibbins (left), and Ryan Stammers, 12, with Mackaylah Sutton, 10, (back-on) playing a basic facts game at the inaugural Bangers and Maths Evening at Mauriceville School. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Mauriceville School pupils, parents, grandparents, siblings and supporters have started crunching numbers together after an inaugural Bangersand Maths event at the small rural school.

Principal Rebecca Stevens said the aim of the evening, held at the school near Masterton, was to help parents better understand the school's mathematics curriculum "so they can help their children at home with basic facts".

"The evening was advertised in our school and community newsletter, students wrote personal invitations to parents as part of our writing programme, and made reminder bracelets so all parents knew about the evening.

"This was important as learning is a partnership between whanau, students and school - everyone plays an integral part," Mrs Stevens said.

Mrs Stevens, who is a teaching principal, led the evening and outlined to parents how the New Zealand Curriculum, National Standards and the Number Framework fit together "and all have an impact on mathematics teaching, learning and reporting".

Parents and pupils surveyed and discussed Mauriceville School's basic facts progressions and pupils afterward showed parents different ways of learning basic facts including rote learning, flashcards, bookwork and interactive computer learning.

Students also explained their own learning goals and played games aimed at honing "their specific learning focus". The lessons and activities ended with a free sausage sizzle, Mrs Stevens said.