Week 2 - Reflection

Imagine you have been hired by a curriculum authority to create a new visual that represents the Working Mathematically Proficiencies. Upload your image/drawing to your journal platform. Reflect on its use as a classroom teacher. Support your ideas with literature.

Working Mathematically proficiencies are vital components that encompass a student’s understanding and engagement toward mathematics (NESA , n.d). McKee (2017) illustrates useful methods that could support teachers in structuring, understanding and developing Proficiencies and problem solving in the classroom. Her method implicated ways to successfully run a problem-solving lesson whilst incorporating all five key proficiencies. Personally, I found that the image and instructions guided me toward my own design of the working mathematically proficiencies. Regarding the visual that I created I decided on utilising a mind-map to outline each proficiency with strands of important information taken directly from the mathematics K-10 syllabus.


Within the classroom, I would display this mind-map and use it as a prompt for a brainstorming exercise , enabling the participation and contributions from students in the classroom. Questions based around the block of communicating could be “What kind of representations do we use to express ideas? “. Through using the mind-map as visual cue and prompt and it will allow the students to clearly see the ideas on the map and make connections to their own understandings of the proficiencies. An extension from this engagement would be to incorporate a warm up activity to check the fluency and understanding throughout the class. Lowe (2013) states that the context of a friendly environment where each learner is assisting one another will promote active learning.

Mckee, S. (2017). Problem Solving and The Proficiencies. Prime number, 32(4), 14-15. Retrieved from: https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/fullText;dn=146075252699750;res=IELHSS

Lowe, I. (2013). Mathematical Understanding. Vinculum, 50 (4), 8-11. Retrieved from: https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/fullText;dn=201058;res=AEIPT