In the final year of my Master's degree in Mathematics, I chose to take course which departed from the hardcore mathematical rigour and instead focused on a topic which appealed more to my humanity. How do we communicate? Maths is no one's first language, and for anyone who has interacted with mathematics at school or outside of the classroom, it's evident that the way it is communicated can easily create a language barrier that can seem impenetrable. As someone who has always had a natural fluency with mathematics, I wanted to understand what lay at the heart of this misunderstanding and learn how to bridge the gap between those who "get" maths and those who might as well be speaking French.
Effectively communicating an idea in maths or any subject has to start with the student. Developing a rapport and meeting whoever you might be teaching for whatever reason where they are currently is so foundational to understanding that I can't understate its importance. During my course, we were consistently reminded when planning lessons or creating resources that it all needs to point to your audience. In my tutoring this tends to manifest when I come to a new topic with my student by letting them take the lead. What do they know about the topic? Do they understand it's relevance and how it fits into their wider understanding of maths? How have they been taught about it before? Only once equipped with this can I truly tailor my teaching in a way that doesn't feel disjointed or invite the glossy-eyed feeling we've all felt when someone is speaking at you rather than to you.
As part of the course, my coursemates and I designed, planned, and delivered a mathematics masterclass to a group of Year 12s. Not only was this good fun, it was a great opportunity to exercise what we'd learned. We paid close attention to the topics the students had completed in school and chose an area of maths that would be approachable but different, designing the exercise and presentation in a way that would appeal to a group of 17 year olds. This took place during one of the breaks in the coronavirus pandemic, which brought the added challenge of communicating maths with a mask on. Despite this handicap limiting the expression we could bring to our presentation, by chatting to the students and grasping what they'd understood we could address any questions and clarify any sections effectively. I was delighted to end the lesson with a class of content students who felt like they'd learned something new and come away with a broader understanding of mathematics.
The teachers giving the course did an excellent job of both explaining how to effectively communicate and exemplifying how a fun and empathetic approach is paramount to developing the trust and understanding that is the basis for effective communication.
- Marcus Rees, Specialist Tutor at New Leaf Academy