Secondary
Three secondary school staff describe their departments’ approaches to problem solving.
Principal teacher David Martin at Harris Academy describes how his department develops strategies through the investigations undertaken by pupils. Like Mark Berry’s department in Port Glasgow High School, Harris Academy uses Cognitive Acceleration in Mathematics Education (CAME) materials as part of its problem solving programme.
Mark shows us the CAME materials and relates how they support both the less structured and the more formal approach to problem solving that his department decided to take. Mark emphasises that CAME is only one of the resources used in his department and that the success of his model depends on a sizeable bank of resources.
Finally Pauline Logan, the mathematics coordinator of St Mungo’s Learning Community in Glasgow describes the programme in place there.
Points to consider
The St Mungo’s programme gives advice to teachers on how to integrate problem solving into the mathematics curriculum. Would this be helpful in your school?
Which of Mark’s formal and less formal programmes appeal to you?
| Problem solving programmes at three secondary schools | |
|---|---|
| Description | Three teachers describe problem solving programmes at secondary level |
| Duration | 1 |
| Windows version |  Windows Media video: Problem solving programmes at three secondary schools |
| Mac version |  QuickTime movie: Problem solving programmes at three secondary schools |
| Transcript | Problem solving programmes at three secondary schools |
Ideas and links
- Harris Academy
Principal teacher discusses approach to problem solving.
- Port Glasgow High School
Resources described by principal teacher of maths.
- Pitlochry High School
Programme described by principal teacher of maths.