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Teaching and learning resources for primary, KS3, GCSE. IGCSE and A level. Revision, practise and exam preparation for all levels. Including Letts revision and home learning, books for Scottish education from Leckie, and Keen Kite resources for primary schools.

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Get free maths help from university mathematics students, whilst remaining anonymous, with Maths Coach Scotland.

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Zeta Maths

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https://www.wpr3.co.uk/MC/index.pdf

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Mathematical Challenge is a problem solving competition for individual pupils in Scottish secondary schools and upper primary schools (mainly P7). It has been running since 1976 under the aegis of the Scottish Mathematical Council . The aim is to promote mathematics as a source of interest and pleasurable achievement.

The competition is divided into four divisions: Primary (P7), Junior (S1 and S2), Middle (S3 and S4), and Senior (S5 and S6). Each year there are two rounds of problems for Secondary schools and three rounds for Primary schools. The problems and associated documents for schools should be downloaded (click here).

In early summer winners of Gold, Silver and Bronze Certificates are announced in each section; the top winners are usually invited to a prize-giving ceremony and receive a much prized Mathematical Challenge mug.

Marks are given for explanations of answers rather than for simply getting the correct answer.

Past problems and their solutions can be found via the navigation bar on this page. If you wish to enter, please speak to your teacher. Contact addresses for the various regions of Scotland may also be found via the navigation bar, including the National Committee. Guidelines for the competition are also available.

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Mathematical Challenge is a problem solving competition for individual pupils in Scottish secondary schools and upper primary schools (mainly P7). It has been running since 1976 under the aegis of the Scottish Mathematical Council . The aim is to promote mathematics as a source of interest and pleasurable achievement.

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Association for Mathematics In Education

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Association for Mathematics In Education

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AMiE brings together the leading mathematics education associations to create a shared home for everyone involved in mathematics education.

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AI: Is it an educational game-changer, or an over-hyped disaster waiting to happen?

This session will showcase how to use AI effectively as a teacher, but will also highlight possible pitfalls. We'll look at writing prompts, speeding up lesson planning, reducing admin tasks, and creating mathematical diagrams. And we'll answer the most important question of all: What do Homer Simpson and AI have in common?

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I1 - Martin Gardner and the promotion of interesting mathematics - Dr. Chris Pritchard

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I1 - Martin Gardner and the promotion of interesting mathematics - Dr. Chris Pritchard

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At last year’s SMC Conference I gave a talk on ‘Martin Gardner and the Demise of Dull Maths Lessons’. But of course, with Martin Gardner’s huge output there was enough wonderful material at my disposal for many 50-minute sessions. So if you are looking for games, problems, investigations or unusual topics to enrich the mathematical experiences of young and old alike, join me for another 50-minutes-worth and bring your classroom to life.

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Remember to scroll ALONG and DOWN the columns to see all the workshop descriptors.

Choose ONE workshop per workshop slot.

Key to levels

BLACK and 1 = ALL

PURPLE and 2 = Nursery/Primary

RED and 3 = Primary/BGE

BLUE and 4 = Secondary

ORANGE and 5 = Secondary/Senior phase

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A1 - Building from what students know: Curriculum Implementation which secures progress - Hannah Hogg

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A1 - Building from what students know: Curriculum Implementation which secures progress - Hannah Hogg

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Numerous schemes of learning exist, but they often assume consistent prior knowledge; we know this is rarely the case. With limited curriculum time, we must prioritise what to focus our students time on. This session explores how to personalise the curriculum for the learners in both your class and department. We will examine how to continually assess and retrieve prior learning, with practical guidance on using this information to ensure students across the attainment spectrum make secure progress. Edtech can support implementation, but it is not essential.

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Conference Organiser:

Exhibitor contact:

Other contacts:

Tech Support:

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O1 - One class, many levels: making maths lessons work for everyone - Stuart Welsh

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O1 - One class, many levels: making maths lessons work for everyone - Stuart Welsh

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In many maths classrooms, a single class can contain a wide range of prior knowledge. Some learners are ready to move on quickly, while others are still trying to grasp the basic concept. Planning separate lessons for everyone simply isn’t realistic. This workshop explores practical ways to keep the whole class together while still supporting learners with very different starting points. We will look at whole-class instruction, responsive checks during lessons, and simple ways to build tiered support without endless differentiation.

Participants will leave with practical strategies, examples and tasks they can use in their classrooms straight away.

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0 Maths - Nurturing Fearless Mathematicians

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0maths is an engaging, data rich, platform using insights from psychology to support all children to succeed in maths.

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Coffee/tea and pastries on arrival

Lunch - soup and sandwiches

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B1 - Maths Busking - where maths and magic meet - Francesca Iezzi

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B1 - Maths Busking - where maths and magic meet - Francesca Iezzi

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The Maths Busking project, initiated in 2010 by Dr. Sara Santos, aims to convey mathematical concepts through street performance. This year, thanks to funding from Maths Week Scotland, I was able to train university students in Maths Busking techniques and conduct performances around Edinburgh, receiving great feedback from passers-by.

In this workshop, I will share some of the most popular "mathemagic" tricks and techniques so that you can use them in your classroom, as a lesson starter, or in the context of a school assembly.

The workshop will be accessible to everyone, but it will be particularly interesting for those working with students from P5 to S3.

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V1 - Mini Bridge: a strategic learning tool to enhance pupils' mathematical thinking - Dr Marina Milosheva and Prof Samantha Punch

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V1 - Mini Bridge: a strategic learning tool to enhance pupils' mathematical thinking - Dr Marina Milosheva and Prof Samantha Punch

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Come to hear about the cognitive and social benefits of bridge for young people, aligning with the 'Games in the classroom' theme. Drawing on our latest findings from international research across Scotland, England, Norway, and the USA, we will explore how pupils practise counting, arithmetic, and probability in bridge. We will highlight the range of educational resources available – including Petit Bridge and Mini Bridge for primary and secondary students – and invite the audience to co-create with us as we explore how bridge as a mindsport might find a place in more classrooms.

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P1 - Spatial Reasoning Skills in Action - Jack Parkinson and colleagues

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P1 - Spatial Reasoning Skills in Action - Jack Parkinson and colleagues

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Spatial reasoning skills have been associated with STEM success in research for decades, but little has been done to highlight and develop specific spatial skills within a curriculum. The Turner Kirk Centre for Spatial Reasoning has been effectively delivering maths lessons which improve spatial reasoning skills in Scottish schools for three years, observing marked benefits in spatial reasoning, maths and computational thinking outcomes.

In this session we will discuss some of this work and explore some of the content which has been delivered to extract and distil specific spatial reasoning skills which could be delivered in additional, cross-curricula contexts.

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SMC Conference Evaluation 2026 – Fill out form

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QRCode for SMC Conference Evaluation 2026

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Welcome to Bright Red Publishing, Scotland's leading independent educational publisher and home of top Study Guides and Course Books for Scottish Qualifications Authority exams!

Please take a look at the brightest, freshest, easiest-to-use books for Scotland's secondary students and teachers and our BGE, National 4, National 5, CfE Higher and CfE Advanced Higher resources for the Curriculum for Excellence. Bright Red books offer the best study and revision support for the new SQA qualifications. We have plenty of useful exam revision hints and tips too!

Make sure to visit the multi-award winning Bright Red Digital Zone for free online revision activities, practice tests, videos and links to support our N5, CfE Higher and CfE Advanced Higher Study Guides. Nearly 100,000 students and teachers have already registered and over 2,000,000 tests have been taken! Be Bright, Be Ready and join them today!

Tell Us Your Thoughts!

Keep an eye on the bright red Latest Offers and News button at the top of the page for details of our regular special offers and updates on all our newly published Bright Red books!

Register with the Bright Red Digital Zone for award-winning and FREE support for Bright Red's National 5, CfE Higher and CfE Advanced Higher Study Guides. Tens of thousands of others signed up are already enjoying extra practice exam activities and tests!

We would love to know what you think about our website, our books, exams and revision, or just about life in general. Our favourite thoughts will be added to our news page. If you'd like to stay up to date with the latest news and offers from Bright Red Publishing, be sure to sign up to our newsletter on the Register page or find us on Facebook and Twitter using the links below.

How to Order and Contact Us

We want to makes things as easy as possible for our customers, therefore you can contact Bright Red in lots of ways!

Have a look through our new 2020-2021 Catalogue for information on all of our titles.

Stationers' Company Innovation Excellence Award 2014

Highly Commended Bookseller Industry Awards 2014

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Welcome to Bright Red Publishing, Scotland's leading independent educational publisher and home of top Study Guides and Course Books for Scottish Qualifications Authority exams! Please take a look at the brightest, freshest, easiest-to-use books for Scotland's secondary students and teachers and our BGE, National 4, National 5, CfE Higher and CfE Advanced Higher resources for the Curriculum for Excellence.

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Getting here | About | University of Stirling

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How to get to the University of Stirling by walking, public transport, bus, car and train

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W1 - A vision for collaborative mathematics professional development across Scotland and England - Samantha Tallintire

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W1 - A vision for collaborative mathematics professional development across Scotland and England - Samantha Tallintire

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In the context of ongoing recruitment challenges and the need to strengthen trainee teachers’ subject knowledge, collective effort is more powerful than isolated reform. While policy and curriculum frameworks may differ slightly across borders, the core mathematics remains largely unchanged — creating strong opportunities for meaningful collaboration. The session will consider how we can pool expertise, reduce duplication, and build sustainable professional learning communities. Delegates will leave with practical ideas and adaptable resources to support high-quality mathematics development in their own contexts.

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C2 - Family Maths Adds Up - Holly Rumble and colleagues 

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C2 - Family Maths Adds Up - Holly Rumble and colleagues 

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Family Maths Adds Up: An exploration of the role of family learning on numeracy development in children 0-12 years.

A child’s cognitive, social and emotional development is affected by the quality of their interactions with family members. Practitioners will discuss supporting stage-appropriate mathematical thinking through working with families, including how to support caregivers who may not feel mathematically confident themselves. Speakers will present case studies from Play Along Maths, Number Berries, and Maths Week Scotland. This workshop takes the form of a presentation by each speaker, followed by a structured conversation, and opportunities for audience Q&A.

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Q3 -  Maths-Puzz-Ling: using mathematics and language to develop problem-solving skills - Charlotte Desvages and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh

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Q3 -  Maths-Puzz-Ling: using mathematics and language to develop problem-solving skills - Charlotte Desvages and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh

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Self-contained linguistics puzzles are small problem sets using data from diverse languages that are designed to be solved by pupils with no prior knowledge of the language or of the field of linguistics. In this hands-on workshop we demonstrate a curated sequence of puzzles, exemplifying how they can contribute students’ problem-solving skills by engaging and developing their knowledge of mathematical concepts, highlighting the relevance of rigorous problem-solving skills in the analysis of language, and showcasing links with other curricular areas.

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Teachers ask hundreds of questions every day, from carefully planned prompts that start a lesson to simple classroom queries. In this session, participants will explore different types of questioning in a maths lesson and consider alternative words and phrases that encourage deeper mathematical thinking.

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If you park in the car park circled red, walk past the Cottrell reception building, and head for the library. If you park anywhere else on campus, you're on your own!

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J1 - Learning mathematics with origami - Sue Pope and Tung Ken Lam

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J1 - Learning mathematics with origami - Sue Pope and Tung Ken Lam

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Practical activity with a cheap and readily available resource (paper) can help to inspire and motivate learners while they develop mathematical insights. In this practical workshop we'll share some starting points for exploring mathematics through origami.

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DD3 - Arithmetic and Place Value without Base-Ten - Ismail O. Zembat (PRIMARY)

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DD3 - Arithmetic and Place Value without Base-Ten - Ismail O. Zembat (PRIMARY)

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The participants will be given a chance to reflect on their understanding of place value and what it means to work on arithmetic (e.g., add, subtract, etc.). They will be provided physical materials to think about core mathematical ideas underlying place value and operations.

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D3 - Making the most of micro:bit for maths - Euan Morrison

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D3 - Making the most of micro:bit for maths - Euan Morrison

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In 2022 every school in Scotland received 20 micro:bits, small pocket-sized computers with so many possibilities for cross-curricular learning. This hands-on workshop will explore the use of micro:bits as a tool for maths lessons. It can become a dice, counter, stopwatch, times table practice tool, data logger and more… Lesson resources will be provided with ideas to engage learners P4-S3 with maths using the micro:bit. No prior coding experience is required!

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S3 - The Fraction Journey: From Parts to Powerful Numbers - Sarah Leakey

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S3 - The Fraction Journey: From Parts to Powerful Numbers - Sarah Leakey

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This workshop aims to provide a bridge between part-whole representations and the measurement sub-construct of fractions. Through hands on activities we will explore how a sequence of lessons can extend pupils’ early understanding of fractions and develop the foundations for later learning including understanding fractions as numbers, improper fractions and calculations with fractions. As part of this we will explore how to weave threads through the curriculum to enable pupils to connect their learning. This presentation builds on another groups’ workshop exploring fractions at Early and First Level, it may be useful but not essential to have attended that workshop.

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E3 - Beyond Counting: Building Number Sense Through Collaboration - Sarah Leakey (PRIMARY ONLY)

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E3 - Beyond Counting: Building Number Sense Through Collaboration - Sarah Leakey (PRIMARY ONLY)

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This workshop will explore how we use Counting Collections to develop pupils' social skills to enhance their collaborative work while simultaneously developing their mathematical understanding of number. The workshop will give a brief introduction to Counting Collections before unpicking how we are using video analysis and analysis of pupils' practical and written work alongside pupils to understand how they can improve their collaborative partnerships and communicate their mathematical approaches including the use of mathematical representations to enhance their own and others mathematical understanding.

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Z4 - Playing games to help with maths - Danny Hamilton

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Z4 - Playing games to help with maths - Danny Hamilton

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A talk about the value of playing games, for developing strategy in mathematics. This includes simple games like Nim that you can play in the classroom, up to more involved games like Bridge (I run a school bridge club and train lots of Scottish Juniors). It will be a very interactive session.

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Stirling University Room Map - you will get a paper copy of this map on arrival

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Stirling University Room Map - you will get a paper copy of this map on arrival

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Teaching room locations | About | University of Stirling

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T5 - Using Casio ClassWizz calculators in teaching, learning and assessment - Amarpreet Singh Kular

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T5 - Using Casio ClassWizz calculators in teaching, learning and assessment - Amarpreet Singh Kular

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This session has been designed to highlight the advantages of using the updated Casio ClassWiz range of calculators and Classpad technologies for teaching, learning and assessment of mathematics. It will explore functionality and application to the Scottish Curriculum.

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Andy Brown - Scottish Mathematics Curriculum - Shaping the Future Together

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Andy Brown - Scottish Mathematics Curriculum - Shaping the Future Together

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We are delighted to announce that Andy Brown, Scotland's National Mathematics Special Adviser, will be joining us to give our keynote address at the SMC Stirling Maths Conference this year.

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Andy Brown FAcadMathSci - Academy for the Mathematical Sciences

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Andy Brown is currently on secondment as the National Specialist Adviser for Mathematics to the Scottish Government. In this role, Andy bridges policy and practice, working closely with ministers, policy officials, academics, schools and settings, and wider stakeholders. Much of Andy’s‚ current work focuses on leading the Curriculum Improvement Cycle for Mathematics in Scotland. Andy

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L3 - 'CHAOS - Organised': a user/observer cognitive challenge model for active learning - Stephen O'Brien

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L3 - 'CHAOS - Organised': a user/observer cognitive challenge model for active learning - Stephen O'Brien

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“CHAOS – Organised” is a user/observer challenge model disguised as a simple puzzle game using a set of large blocks and dozens of graded-difficulty solution cards. The puzzles involve seeing, thinking, communicating and physical activity, therefore LEARNING, challenging learners at their own level.
Observers, e.g. teachers and especially student teachers, can hone intervention skills which normally take years to develop in the classroom.
In this hands-on session, educators will experience for themselves this fun, active learning challenge.

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Information about workshops, including liaison with presenters:

SMC 2026 Conference Organising Committee

SMC.conference@proton.me

SMC Treasurer: Suzanne Stoppard

SMC.Treasurer@proton.me

SMC Chair: Chris Prtichard

SMC.Chair@proton.me

Exhibitors and Sponsors:

SMC Secretary: Simon Fogiel

SMC.secretary@proton.me

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F4 - Creating conditions for mathematical thinking - Michael Allan

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F4 - Creating conditions for mathematical thinking - Michael Allan

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This workshop focuses on practical ways secondary mathematics teachers can increase student participation and promote deeper mathematical thinking in everyday lessons. Participants will leave with practical strategies that can be implemented the next time they are in front of a class. Drawing on classroom experience and professional reading and reflection, the workshop explores purposeful questioning routines and classroom structures that support engagement and mathematical thinking. Attendees will engage with a collection of mathematical tasks as learners. Get ready to think!

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U5 - From LGBT+ History Month to Anti-Racist Education: Telling more of the story of mathematics - Daniel Wolf-Root

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U5 - From LGBT+ History Month to Anti-Racist Education: Telling more of the story of mathematics - Daniel Wolf-Root

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Education Scotland has Anti-Racist Literacy Principles. The UK celebrates LGBT+ History Month each year. How can we tell more of the story of mathematics that goes beyond tokenism and one principle or month each year? I will share mathematical concepts, topics, and people with a view of showing students both more mathematics and more of the story of mathematics throughout the year and curriculum. I hope to give educators an idea of authentic ways of teaching the principles and celebrating history months through a deeper understanding of mathematics.

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Teaching room locations | About | University of Stirling

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Teaching room locations in Cottrell, Pathfoot and the Stirling Court Hotel

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This year we are introducing a final get together to round off our day of exhilarating maths talk, discussion and thinking.

Chaired by the SMC Depute Chair, Dr. Chris Pritchard, our panel will consider the current hot topics in mathematics education in Scotland.

Panel members:

Andy Brown - Scotland's Mathematics Specialist Adviser

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M4 - Bringing social issues relating to students’ interests into the mathematics classroom - Pete Wright and Sandra Wieser

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M4 - Bringing social issues relating to students’ interests into the mathematics classroom - Pete Wright and Sandra Wieser

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In this workshop, participants will engage with a mathematical classroom activity that focuses on the relative power of political parties, following a parliamentary election, and the implications for forming coalitions. We will use this to prompt a discussion around the benefits and challenges of integrating social topics of interest to students into mathematical tasks, and how this links to current debates around the mathematics curriculum. We will share experiences and findings from the MatheConnect project (https://matheconnect.eu/en/) based in Austria. The project involves students as co-researchers in developing survey tools, collecting and analysing data and designing and evaluating learning materials.

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G4 - How to make a good start to teaching mathematics - Ryan McAree

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G4 - How to make a good start to teaching mathematics - Ryan McAree

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This year I was asked by my local authority to run a CPD course to support early career teachers. The aim of the session is to meet with early career teachers and lead a discussion on what has gone well and what hasn't gone so well so far in our careers. Additionally, we can share tips on developing pedagogy and other ways to enhance the learning of mathematics in the classroom. Be ready to discuss!

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AA4 - Improving achievement through implementing mixed ability in a maths department - Fergus McLean

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AA4 - Improving achievement through implementing mixed ability in a maths department - Fergus McLean

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Are you curious about whether mixed ability classes in a Secondary Mathematics department can make a positive difference? Come along and find out how we made it work. It wasn’t easy, but we believe mixed ability benefited the kids by improving self-belief, engagement and achievement. This will be very similar to last year, so if you saw me then....

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N4 - One grid, many ideas: the grid method across secondary algebra - Emmanouil Mastoridis

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N4 - One grid, many ideas: the grid method across secondary algebra - Emmanouil Mastoridis

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This workshop explores how the grid method can serve as a unifying representation across secondary algebra. Rather than treating it solely as a scaffold for multiplication in primary school, I will show how it can support a more coherent progression from numerical multiplication to bracket expansion, quadratic factorisation and polynomial factorisation. Through worked examples and discussion, I will argue that preserving this familiar structure can reduce procedural confusion, strengthen understanding of the distributive law and provide a coherent alternative to methods such as FOIL and synthetic division.

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BB5 - Are we telling the whole truth about Standard Deviation - Daniel Wolf-Root

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BB5 - Are we telling the whole truth about Standard Deviation - Daniel Wolf-Root

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What is the standard deviation? When do we divide by n? When by n-1? Why? Why do we square and take square roots instead of absolute values? Why are the two formulas on the N5 formula sheet equivalent? There are really three standard deviations, but before AH Statistics, which few students take, we are only teaching one: the unbiased estimate of the population standard deviation from a sample. Come and hear the truth about Standard Deviation and how teachers of Geography, Biology, Psychology and Chemistry apply the Standard Deviation.

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CC3 - Nature Based Numeracy - NatureScot (PRIMARY)

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CC3 - Nature Based Numeracy - NatureScot (PRIMARY)

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The purpose of the session is to facilitate opportunities to use the outdoors to build numeracy capital in learners. We will work collectively to try three short activities - sticks and stones, measuring & mapping and design a route for a hedgehog. Following each activity we will reflect on how the opportunities could be utilised in your settings and share knowledge about each others numeracy work outdoors.