Abstract:

The construct ‘Mathematical Resilience’ [1] has been developed to describe a positive stance towards mathematics whereby learners develop approaches to mathematical learning which help them to overcome the affective barriers and setbacks that can be part of learning mathematics for many people. A resilient stance towards mathematics can be engineered by a strategic and explicit focus on the culture of learning mathematics within both formal and informal learning environments. As part of that engineering, we have developed the notion of ‘Teaching for Mathematical Resilience’. The work described here is focused on developing teachers who know how explicitly to develop resilient learners of mathematics.

This paper discusses the development and evaluation of a 4-day course developed and delivered by a team of mathematics educators and professional coaches; the paper is a sequel to a previous paper in which we concluded that many teachers would benefit from more than a 1 day introduction due to high levels of personal mathematics anxiety and increased expectations on teachers of mathematics in Further Education in England.
The course was developed in 2015; first presentations ran between January 2016 and March 2016 and recruited participants who work as teachers of numeracy or mathematics in Further Education (FE) institutions in the Midlands of the UK. Many of these teachers were being required to teach beyond their own level of mathematical confidence.

Although there are always aspects of a course than can be improved by reflective practitioners, the overall impact of the project as expressed by the participant teachers who received it was very positive. Teachers’ awareness was increased of negative past experiences as a possible cause of difficulty with mathematics; teachers became aware of how patterns of behaviour such as avoidance and disruption may have developed as safe-guarding habits and how mathematics anxiety can be transmitted from teacher to student in a vicious cycle.

Teachers were supported to work through personal anxieties towards mathematics in a safe and collaborative environment, which included a professional coach, and to develop elements of personal mathematical resilience and awareness of the affective domain. Teachers developed an extensive range of tools, strategies and approaches to ‘take off the emotional handbrake’ of learners, to recognize and address anxiety, re-engage learners and build resilience. The tools included tasks designated ALIVE (accessible, linked, inclusive, valued and engaging). The strategies included coaching skills.

A common theme was just how much such a course was needed and appreciated by participants. The work is being further extended and developed through local mathematics teacher networks (MathsHubs).

Keywords:

Mathematical resilience, growth zone model, mathematics anxiety, ALIVE tasks, coaching.