Crossing a river with role play (George Heriot's Junior School, P7)

Acting out a situation: organisation

Kirsten takes P7 pupils in small groups for six week blocks of problem solving. She plans her lessons in half-termly blocks in close conjunction with the class or set teacher and evaluates each block after a group has finished, before moving onto the next one. 

Kirsten mainly uses secondary level FunMaths Roadshow material. She selects problems according to strategy; this involves working out each problem herself, since only the answers are given! She prefers problems that can be solved using more than one strategy. She also uses Maths Challenge material and any other good resources that she or her colleagues obtain on courses. 

As she works with small groups, Kirsten finds it easy to assess pupils as they are working. She keeps detailed records about their progress and their attitude to problem solving, which she hands on to the class teacher and deputes.