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Accelerated Learning in Mathematics Many of our students at Brigidine aspire to be one of our mathematicians who undertake studying mathematics at an accelerated level. This program commences in Year 9 where students who have been accepted to study Mathematics Accelerated choose Mathematics as one of their elective subjects in addition to their normal Year 9 lessons. This means these students are effectively studying the equivalent of two subjects of Mathematics. In Year 9, they complete both the Year 9 and Year 10 Mathematics 5.3 courses in one year, allowing extra time to be given in later years to the Preliminary and HSC Mathematics Advanced and Extension courses. The accelerated students complete their HSC Advanced course and sit their HSC examination in Year 11, and continue with the extension course(s) into Year 12. Our accelerated students love mathematics and enjoy absorbing themselves in solving mathematical problems. For most, the program heightens their understanding and the benefit of problem solving, critical thinking and having a self-challenging attitude. They quickly learn to accept that it is more important to be curious and explore their thinking to deepen their understanding to get to an answer, rather than concentrate on the answer (right and wrong) itself.
The ultimate goal of acceleration is not just to get our students through the Advanced Mathematics course by the end of Year 11 but to have developed a deep conceptual understanding, coupled with procedural fluency and the ability to reason and apply mathematics which will enhance whatever course of study interests them when they go to university. Many of our students go on to follow STEM pathways at university but our accelerated students have not limited themselves to this more traditional pathway. Law, business and economics, actuarial studies and teaching are other choices, to name a few. Of particular interest is the esteem that universities hold for students who challenge themselves to do more than just the minimum required for entry to a course. The UTS Bachelor of Accounting Cooperative Scholarship is limited to about 30 students each year and comes with a substantial financial offer. Our accelerated students have been very successful at obtaining positions in this course and they have said that the ability to think and reason as well as the tenacity to work through difficult problems, skills they developed as part of the accelerated program, have enabled them to feel confident in this very challenging course. Whilst this degree is an accounting degree it equips students to become business leaders of the future. JACQUI BRIDGES H E A D O F M AT H E M AT I C S
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THE BRIDGE ISSUE 2 2021
