Alexandra Hewitt, AC for Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Now that increasing numbers of universities are requiring or giving reduced offers to students taking admissions tests, knowledge of STEP, the MAT and the TMUA are no longer just for a minority of teachers who will be giving specialist coaching sessions to exceptional students. All students considering studying maths at university will benefit from preparation for these tests, and indeed the tests are an excellent resource for developing problem-solving skills across the board. Although many schools are already encouraging students to attend AMSP Problem Solving Workshops, many of which are run across the South Region, there is plenty of scope for developing problem-solving skills within the classroom.
Teachers are invited to attend a professional development day on Friday 11 January 2019 at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford, where we will address developing a problem-solving mindset, as well as giving plenty of time for teachers to hone their own problem solving skills. There will be plenty of interesting problems to tackle – some quite straightforward extensions to A level, others requiring more insight and persistence – something for everyone! Come along for an enjoyable day doing maths, and return to your classroom with plenty of ideas for to support your students.
Full details are on the new events listing of the AMSP website, where you can explore a whole range of events taking place in the South. If there isn’t a course in your local area, please contact your local Area Coordinator for information on how one might be arranged.