Spirolaterals: A Favourite Lesson

Take a look at these shapes. What do you notice? What do you wonder? ​Maybe you’ve noticed the squares and rectangles. That the shapes look like windmills. Or floor tiles. Maybe you’ve seen spirals. And that there’s a pleasing symmetry to them. My favourite thing about maths is how it can constantly surprise us. Behind …

Five Strategies for Varying a Problem

One problem is just the beginning! I’m a big fan of using what you’ve already got. That is: taking and adapting the resources you already have, and not endlessly searching for new stuff. With just a few tweaks, your existing resources can become the starting point for so much more. For deeper thinking. For stronger …

Bringing the Maths Proficiencies to Life

What does it mean to be a successful maths learner? Ask 100 teachers and you’ll get 100 different answers! But, across those answers, some fascinating themes will emerge. Here’s what 100 teachers (well, 91) had to say when I asked them this question. What do you notice about this word cloud? What catches your eye? …