A new primary mathematics curriculum is being introduced to all primary schools nationwide.
Today, Minister for Education Norma Foley has launched the new maths curriculum.
The current mathematics curriculum that is in place in primary schools is over 20 years old.
Much has changed in mathematics education since the previous curriculum was used so this new approach is being welcomed by schools all over the country.
The new mathematics curriculum was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) through research and a collaborative approach including engagement with school communities.
The new curriculum provides an inclusive and child-centred approach to learning, teaching and assessment.
The curriculum has an emphasis on creativity, playful approaches to learning, problem-solving, and experiences shaped by children, as ‘what’ children learn in maths hasn’t changed, but ‘how’ they learn best has.
Minister Foley released a statement earlier today about the launch of the new course, saying, “I have the enormous honour of introducing the new mathematics curriculum for all primary and special schools. This new curriculum is another significant milestone in the ongoing development of the primary curriculum”.
“Most importantly, the curriculum has been shaped by the views of the children themselves. They have shared with us how they experience mathematics in the classrooms today and how they would like to experience it in the years to come”.
“The curriculum sets out a fresh vision for children’s learning that is characterised by playfulness, creativity, challenge, risk-taking, and opportunities for reasoning and solving real-life problems. It also provides opportunities to make connections between mathematical learning and other areas of learning”.
She continued, “The new curriculum promotes the development of skills such as computational thinking, financial literacy and spatial ability which are critical for children to thrive in the modern world”.
“Mathematics is everywhere, it is the language we use to understand our environment and surroundings. It helps us to successfully navigate through everyday life as it enhances our ability to understand and engage fully with the world around us. We must ensure that we provide the best mathematics education for all our children”.
The Minister went on to say, “We want the children in our schools to understand the importance of maths in the wider world but we also want them to see maths as integral to day to day life, interacting with them in their play as well as work and worthy of pursuit in its own right”.
“As Minister for Education, I am pleased to oversee this positive change to the way we will teach mathematics to our children. We are not just teaching maths to our children because we have to, we are teaching maths to our children because it is the key to unlock and understand the world around them”.
Foley also thanked everyone involved in the development of the curriculum, and the educators that will be enforcing it in the classroom.
