Professional Development

Margi Leech, along with a great team throughout NZ, has been accredited by Oxford University Press to deliver Numicon Professional Development in New Zealand. 

Leaders that are focused on promoting and taking part with teachers in formal or informal professional learning can have a large impact on students’ learning (ES = 0.84) (Robinson et al., 2008). Effective professional learning needs to include both upfront training and follow-on coaching, so that it results in changes in teachers’ practice (Albers et al., 2017). 

This professional learning needs to be strongly tied to the overall vision of the school and clearly detailed within an implementation plan based on the current area of focus within the school (Sharples et al., 2019). It’s important that the professional learning is targeted to the uptake of more effective strategies in areas that we know make a difference to students – such as meta-cognition, feedback and within-class grouping/differentiation (Education Endowment Foundation, 2020).

Comments:

Katie Saunoa,

Specialist Teacher, Sunnydene School Outreach Service- Thank you Margi. It was one of the most rewarding and worthwhile workshops I have attended. It has really shifted my thinking and approach towards teaching maths. 

Jo

Intermediate school teacher: I most enjoyed learning the many ways of using the equipment, of teaching concepts. There were different angles in this approach for me. I loved the materials.  It is mind boggling with all the possibilities and seeing the different things that would work for my students, all at different levels. I loved exploring the approach of working from prior knowledge; the spiral approach takes away the maths anxiety

Stephanie

Numicon is just brilliant - highly recommend any one going to this course to get an understanding of the philosophy of it, how it is different but it really works. Wish more schools used it with their struggling learners as it really helps our kids see number, and see that they can have success!. Easy to follow programme - you just have to forget they way you learned maths and follow the sequence in the programme! My son loves it! 


Register/View Schedule of Upcoming Courses

If you would like to host a course at your school, these are your options.

Course outline

Planning Document 

On line meeting for a consultation or training for one hour 

Questions to consider when planning the PD:


OVERVIEW of Professional development options


An introduction to Numicon's theory, pedagogy and practice for new Numicon users

 

Our introductory Numicon Professional Development provides hands-on experience, enabling participants to realise Numicon’s potential to transform children’s attitude to maths and significantly increase their achievement.


We work closely with participants to develop their subject knowledge and pedagogy using Numicon effectively to meet the needs of the school’s improvement plan for mathematics.


Suitable for:
School leaders, teachers, TAs and school learning communities.
The professional development allows participants quality time to familiarise themselves with the practical apparatus and the teaching support materials, which also includes an introduction to the theory and pedagogy of the Numicon Approach.


'An Introduction to Numicon' professional development consists of the following:
Option 1: Number, Pattern and Calculating and Geometry, Measurement and Statistics
Option 2: Number, Pattern and Calculating
Option 3: Using Numicon for students with special needs, high learning needs and underachievers from Years 0 - 11
Option 4: Using the Numicon Intervention Programme for ALIM or other requirements
Option 5: Themed - place value, basic facts, fractions, decimals, additive/multiplicative/proportional thinking, problem-solving


Numicon Ongoing Sustained Support

An opportunity to focus on a particular area of mathematics teaching
Suitable for: 
All educational settings

Our sustained programmes of support are unique to each school. This support is available if a school has previously received ‘An Introduction to Numicon’ professional development. Consultancy can be provided without need for school closure.

As well as being experts in the delivery of Numicon Professional Development, our consultant team have a wide variety of specialisms in mathematics. This expertise allows us to provide schools with support across an extensive range of topics.
Example areas of special focus

– Student Needs
  • Support and intervention
  • Challenging the more able
  • Putting mathematics in context
  • Individual school focus– Leadership
  • Coherent long term plan
  • Reactive to school/ setting needs based on evidence and evaluation since introduction
  • Practice and pedagogy
  • Learning walks
  • Assessment and planning
  • Subject knowledge
  • Implementing Numicon in your setting
  • Supporting whole school community
  • Planning and assessment
  • Differentiation
  • Pedagogy
– Strand focused
  • Follow-up where use of Numicon has been extended with new resources, e.g. Geometry, Measurement and Statistics
  • Numicon theory and methodology
  • Develop practitioners use of the Numicon supporting materials through:
         i) calculation
        ii) numbers and the number system
       iii) pattern and algebra
       iv) geometry
        v) measurement and statistics
       vi) Fractional and decimal numbers.
  • Pedagogy and subject knowledge
– Phase focused
  • Early Childhood
  • Years 1 and 2
  • Years 3 and 4
  • Years 5 and 6
  • Years 7 and 8
  • Algebra for Year 9
  • Fast tracking Years 5-9 students with Numicon
  • Intermediate and secondary school support and intervention