MATHEMATICS IS NOT EASY: THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING CHILDREN TO STRUGGLE

Abstract

This paper describes aspects of an 11-week teaching project with low achieving children. The children's prior experience of mathematics was one of failure to complete tasks successfully. They had made negative comparisons between themselves and their peers and had low self-esteem. The paper focuses on how I developed affective strategies to use alongside cognitive strategies as I tried to improve the children's mathematics. Six critical incidents, which illustrate the progression of the work, are described and analysed. Significant changes in how the children tackled mathematical work are discussed in terms of other research. Finally the outcomes of the project are considered in the context of the National Numeracy Strategy. I propose that the conscious use of affective strategies needs to be introduced alongside cognitive strategies if low achieving pupils are to make progress in learning mathematics.