One plus one maths teachers better than one plus none?

THREE Wellington schools are banding together to try to lift maths achievement for those students who just aren’t getting it.

The Government wants 85 per cent of students to be at the maths national standard by the end of 2017. So far only 76.7 per cent of Wellington’s 44,032 primary pupils are achieving that level, up only 3.3 per cent since national standards were introduced four years ago.

To try to raise the bar, Newtown, Berhampore and Brooklyn schools have begun an 18-month research project into how having more than one maths teacher in a classroom improves teacher performance and student learning.

Teachers from each school will work with Victoria University PhD students and lecturers, who have previously examined coteaching, and will teach together at the different schools.

Newtown School teacher Tim Crawshaw said teachers were always looking for new ways to engage students and co-teaching was a good way to lift teacher motivation.

‘‘The different styles of teachers and the new ideas the will offer students opportunities they haven’t had before,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s easy to get caught up and believe that as a teacher you have all the answers, but sometimes a student will learn more from something different and having another teacher there can help make sure that is picked up.

‘‘You also teach better and are on your toes because there is another teacher in your class with you.’’

The project is one of seven maths-based ones to be sponsored by the Ministry of Education from the new $10 million Teacher-led Innovation Fund. It has also invested $7.7m over four years to expand maths learning and has trained 142 teachers to be maths support people in their schools.

Supporting these projects was a way to get those below standard over the line in time, student achievement associate deputy secretary Lesley Hoskin said.

‘‘We’re creating new ways for leaders, teachers and schools to share excellent teaching practices. Raising maths achievement is a priority in the ministry’s work programme . . . [and] we do recognise that we need to make strong improvements to meet the 2017 Government target.’’