Maths Journals are most effective when used across a school in a cohesive and
consistent manner. Teachers can access a webinar in the teacher resources section of the website for further guidance on the use of Maths Journals.
Key points for us, as teachers to remember:
- We want the pupils to be excited about writing in their journals – it is a
free space for them to make their thinking visible in a creative and non-
restrictive way. - Initially, pupils may need some support modelling how the journals ‘can’
be used – encourage the use of drawings, mind maps, labels, writing etc.
It can be useful to show them some of the work samples in the teacher
resources section of the website.
- It is important that pupils know that their journals are being monitored
regularly. While I do not advocate correcting them in the formal sense,
the comment section, and informal conversations, can be a valuable way
of providing feedback.
- When we notice mistakes/misconceptions in the journals, we can record
these in our own notes, and adapt our teaching to support the learner. It
is important for us, and the pupils, that we see mistakes as learning
opportunities and not failures.
- The Primary Mathematics Curriculum reminds us that: “During the
mathematical learning process, assessment is likely to occur incidentally,
intuitively and in response to contingency moments i.e. unplanned and
unexpected responses from the child.” (Page 37).
