Many young people value social justice and equity, channelling their passion for global issues through movements such as Fridays4Future, School Strike for Climate and Black Lives Matter.
“Engagement with maths in the way it is used in the world outside the classroom requires different kinds of skills.”
Scotdec have been working with a Maths specialist from the University of Stirling and teachers from across the Forth Valley and West Lothian RIC to explore the role maths can play in understanding and addressing global issues young people care about – with the aim of enabling better engagement with BGE and increased participation in maths in the post compulsory phase.
Maths in the World
The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of critiquing data, understanding key ideas in probability which determine risk and evaluating the inputs and outputs to models. Engagement with maths in the way it is used in the world outside the classroom requires different kinds of skills – critical and creative thinking, cooperation, managing complexity and uncertainty and developing empathy: skills essential for Learning for Sustainability and Developing the Young Work Force.
“Maths is more interesting when it’s about real life.”
Teachers’ Response
We spoke to 2 teachers who have been involved in the project. Reshma Esmail has been an educator for 19 years and is currently a maths teacher at Bannockburn High School in Stirling.
“I think aspects of global citizenship have always been a part of my teaching but in an informal way. Now, I can deliver it feeling that I have more knowledge to justify why I am doing it – and also how it fits in with other aspects of teaching such as Learning for Sustainability.”
Victoria Wall have been a teacher for 7 years and is currently a maths teacher at Wallace High School in Stirling.
“I have carried out Statistics lessons and Fractions lessons as a result of the project, both of which learners found very engaging. Feedback from young people included statements such as “loved learning about how people in other parts of the world spend their time” and “Maths is more interesting when it’s about real life.”
Scotdec are currently recruiting for maths teachers in Edinburgh and the Forth Valley and West Lothian RIC to take part in phase 2 of the project. Find out more and register
