The preliminary task matters!
Dr James Russo & Dr Jane Hubbard
When teaching mathematics through challenging tasks the preliminary experience (i.e., what happens before launching the main task) can better support students in experiencing productive struggle when solving the task. This session presents various ways the preliminary experience may be designed and executed by activating prior knowledge and/or introducing important mathematical representations.
About Dr James Russo
James Russo is passionate about making primary mathematics enjoyable to teach and learn. He is particularly interested in learning and task design, including developing engaging games and activities that support deep mathematical thinking.Ā James works as a senior lecturer at Monash University and has a website calledĀ surfmaths.com
About Dr Jane Hubbard
Jane Hubbard is a mathematics educator who recently completed her PhD at Monash University. Her research investigated the experiences of Year 2 students as they engaged in problem-solving approaches to mathematics through sequences of challenging tasks. Her findings reported that when given the opportunity, students can significantly improve their mathematical competence learning through problem-solving approaches, and enjoy the experience of being challenged. Her thesis emphasised the importance of holistically evaluating student progress and incorporating this knowledge into teacher assessment practices. Jane has over 20 yearsā€™ experience in primary education and 15 years in leading school wide improvement in mathematics. As often as possible, she likes to get into classrooms to work alongside teachers and help them to develop stronger mathematical knowledge for teaching.
