Conference synopsis_FINAL_20260815 - Flipbook - Page 95
E07 DIFFERENTIATION: PREPARING YEAR 10
MATHS STUDENTS FOR VCE /VM PATHWAYS
Sub-category: Planning
Fatima Farooqui, Point Cook Senior Secondary College
Y9 - Y10
Year 10 Mathematics classrooms often include students with
diverse aspirations and abilities, ranging from those preparing
for VCE General Mathematics to those intending to pursue
Vocational Major (VM). A one-size-fits-all approach can
leave some students under-challenged while others become
disengaged.
This presentation shares a practical approach to pathwaybased differentiation that aligns teaching, assessment
and learning experiences with students’ future goals. By
identifying students’ intended pathways early, teaching is
deliberately differentiated to ensure VCE-bound students
develop the prerequisite knowledge and confidence required
for a successful transition into VCE General Mathematics,
while students following the VM pathway focus on mastering
the essential mathematical skills needed to successfully
complete Year 10 and apply mathematics in authentic, realworld contexts.
This session is ideal for secondary mathematics teachers
seeking realistic and sustainable ways to personalise learning
and improve student outcomes without creating separate
courses within one classroom.
Key takeaways:
1. Implement pathway-based differentiation in Year 10
Mathematics.
2. Design learning experiences that prepare students for
VCE General Mathematics or VM pathways.
3. Apply practical strategies to improve engagement,
achievement and confidence in mixed-ability classrooms.
E08 TINY, TINY NUMBERS
Sub-category: Mathematical content and concept
Kaye Stacey, University of Melbourne
Y7 - Y12
Children often wonder what number is just next to zero, and
we have all wondered why zero point nine repeating is exactly
equal to one. Since ancient times, people have been puzzled
by famous paradoxes like Archilles and the tortoise. This
session takes a short tour through the history of mathematics
to see how our current ideas of numbers and especially very
small numbers developed in part to answer questions like
those above. On the way we will discuss how the fractions
and the real numbers are tightly packed together and what a
real number really is. Finally, we will briefly look at the surreal
numbers, a completely valid number system which extends
our real numbers with clouds of tiny infinitesimals that are
bigger than zero but smaller than all real numbers. With
surreal numbers, calculus can be done without limits. So what
is a number, really?
Key takeaways:
1. Throughout history, there has been a steady expansion of
ideas of what a number can be.
2. There are mind boggling ideas lurking behind some quite
ordinary mathematics topics.
3. The secondary school curriculum provides many
opportunities for students to glimpse deep mathematical
questions.
E09 DIVISION IS FAR MORE THAN A
PROCEDURE
Sub-category: Mathematical content and concepts
Catherine Epstein/Rodgers, Camberwell Grammar Junior
School
Y3 - Y6
Division is far more than a procedure for finding answers—it
is about understanding how numbers can be grouped,
shared and related. This workshop explores the big ideas that
underpin division, including partition (sharing), quotition
(grouping), the important relationship with multiplication,
and the interpretation of remainders through meaningful
problem-solving contexts.
Through engaging number talks, purposeful games and rich
mathematical investigations, participants will unpack the
progression of division concepts across the primary years and
examine common misconceptions that can hinder student
understanding. Teachers will experience practical strategies
that promote mathematical reasoning, encourage multiple
solution pathways, and help students develop flexible,
connected understandings of division.
Participants will leave with a range of classroom-ready
tasks, questioning techniques and resources designed to
deepen students’ conceptual understanding and support the
development of confident, capable mathematicians.
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