Two maths teachers from Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Otley are departing on a research trip to Shanghai in China to find out in detail how maths is taught in schools there, and begin to explore ways in which elements of the Shanghai teaching approach might be introduced in lessons in England.
The teachers, (Fiona Husker and Lisa Wray), are part of a group of more than 60 English secondary school maths teachers participating in an exchange as part of a two-year research project. The project is run by the national Maths Hubs programme, coordinated by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and funded by the Department for Education (DfE)
In the first year of the project, school year 2014/2015, a similar exchange took place, between primary school teachers and their counterparts in Shanghai, with the aim of exploring ways in which new teaching approaches can be introduced in English schools to help pupils acquire mastery (deep understanding) of mathematics.
This year’s secondary exchange has similar aims, adjusted to the context of helping pupils in the first three years of secondary education deepen their understanding of mathematics.
The party of teachers from English school will be in Shanghai for two weeks in September, with the Shanghai teachers returning, to teach alongside their English colleagues, in November.
Fiona Husker, PHGS said:
We are really enjoying our time here in Shanghai – we have been made to feel extremely welcome in both the primary and secondary schools by the staff and students. When we return to Otley we are looking forward to trying out some of the new approaches we have learned on our students.
