25 March, 2008 - Second level students to experience Maths in a 'new way' as new curriculum is introduced – Minister Hanafin

Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin said that a new Maths curriculum is to be introduced in second level schools starting this September on a pilot basis. The Minister was addressing post primary teachers attending the ASTI annual conference in Killarney today. Minister Hanafin said the aim of the new Maths curriculum will be to "engage every student and ensure that they can develop key skills which will be relevant to their future needs."
 
Minister Hanafin said the reforms will be "implemented over a three year period, with two strands of Maths changing each year until the five major strands have been completed. Lesson plans and exemplars will be developed for each strand, teachers will be provided with intensive curriculum support and training in advance of mainstream implementation and the exams for each strand will also be changed on a phased basis rather than a big change in one year."
 
The Minister told teachers that the aim of reforms will be to:

•          Improve the mathematical literacy and problem-solving abilities of our young people in general;
•          Encourage greater take up of higher level Maths; and
•          Better prepare students for careers in the science, technology, and engineering areas in particular.

 
Minister Hanafin said that for schools involved in the initial implementation from September 2008, students will experience mathematics in a new way. "Teachers will be provided with classroom materials to enable them to adopt the new approaches and will be supported professionally in embracing change. These materials and supports will include lesson plans, with teacher guides and student worksheets, online exemplars and a range of assessment materials. As each phase of syllabus revision is introduced into participating schools, we will monitor the experience of both students and teachers and make whatever changes are necessary to improve the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics.
 
This is a new way of introducing syllabus change which involves students and teachers from the beginning, so that subsequent phase development will be more refined and adjusted to classroom experience of teaching and learning mathematics in a new way."

"We are also working to reform the senior cycle Science programmes" said Minister Hanafin "to build on the changes that have already been made at Junior Cert level. I expect to receive proposals from the NCCA later in the year."
 
Addressing the issue of disruptive students, Minister Hanafin said that the National Behaviour Support Service has been working intensively with some 50 second level schools. In 35 schools a behaviour support classroom have been established, as part of a wide ranging plan to improve discipline in each of the schools. "These classrooms are a time-limited intervention for the individual students, allowing for intensive work that will lead to their re-integration into the mainstream system" said Minister Hanafin.
 
The Minister said that she intends extending the NBSS to more schools in the next school year. She also said that the amended Section 29 of the Education Act in relation to suspensions and expulsions "strikes a better balance between the rights of the disruptive student and the rights of those of their classmates to an education."

ENDS

Follow link to Address by Minister Hanafin to the ASTI National Convention, 25th March 2008