Help Children Learn and Love Maths



I came across this great visual today outlining 12 strategies from Jo Boaler to help pupils learn and love Maths.


  1. Praise what children have done not the child.
  2. Always be a good Maths role model.
  3. Praise mistakes as learning opportunities.
  4. Encourage pupils to work on challenging problems.
  5. Help but don't do it for them.
  6. Encourage drawing wherever you can.
  7. Support pupils to make sense of maths at all times.
  8. Encourage pupils to think flexibly about numbers.
  9. Never time children as they work.
  10. Pinpoint the logic in incorrect answers.
  11. Give children Maths puzzles.
  12. Play games that use Maths.
As I reflect on this list, I love the way that these strategies summarise the work that we have carried out with Dinah over the past two years. 

My favourite?  Number 3 without a doubt!  Praise mistakes as learning opportunities.  This is something that I am passionate about - in fact we celebrate mistakes.  Kids know that I love it when they make a mistake.  

I just had another thought though - I'm not so keen to make a mistake myself...why is this?  

From a leadership perspective, would this list be useful to share with our community?  Perhaps share 1 or 2 a week in the TNB?

I'd definitely like to use this in a team meeting.  It would create a good discussion.


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