The fractions, percentages and decimals challenge

Lee Carson uses software called Interactive Maths ToolKit to teach fractions, percentages and decimals to his class of P7 pupils at Queensferry Primary. The pupils challenge each other to represent a fraction, percentage or decimal on a pie chart on the SMART Board. They then work on similar exercises on their laptops.

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Teacher profile

Lee Carson has been teaching for nine years in two different schools. He has been working at Queensferry Primary since 2000 and is currently teaching P7 pupils. Mr Carson is responsible for science and ICT in the curriculum.

Mr Carson has attended the ELITE (Effective Learning with Information Technology in Edinburgh) programme, but otherwise most of his skills are self-taught.

He has recently attended a training course on the use of the SMART Board, run by SMART Technologies, and has since been using the Interactive Maths ToolKit software. He finds the SMART Board very useful for teaching maths as the pupils enjoy the interactivity offered by the technology.

Mr Carson is very enthusiastic generally about the use of ICT in his teaching and he uses it daily for different subjects. He uses a system called Remote Desktop, which allows him to control pupils’ computers. For example, he can start a maths exercise from his computer, which is connected to the whiteboard, and then send the file through to the pupils’ laptops for them to continue with the task.

Mr Carson mentions that generally he tends to deal with ICT problems on his own. However, there is a local education authority ICT officer who can come and help with the technology when needed.

Queensferry Primary School is in the village of South Queensferry by the Firth of Forth, to the west of Edinburgh. It is a modern single storey building and it includes a nursery. There are 336 pupils, approximately 12 per cent of whom have free school lunches. 20 teachers work at the school.

The school has about 75 PCs and 22 laptops, connected in a local network. There is a dedicated computer suite with 15 computers. The role of ICT coordinator is part of the head teacher’s remit.

ICT training is available to teachers through formal CPD courses and in-service twilight programmes.