MATHS:LOVEITORLOATHEIT

Like at every other school, Maths is a core subject at Tranby. Everyone from Nursery to Pre-Sixth in the Senior School learn Maths, but not everyone enjoys it like I do. Here, I take a closer look into some of the reasons why we all have our different opinions about Maths.

We all use Maths every day, whether we think about it or not From buying things with my pocket money to working out what time to set the alarm on my Alexa for the next morning, I have become more and more aware of how much I use Maths to do basic things and will do for my whole life. Maths is used to predict the weather, and engineers need Maths to construct stable bridges that can withstand wind and vibrations caused by traffic like the Humber Bridge! Chocolate brownies and Tranby Mess would not taste the same if the chef and his team did not weigh the amounts of ingredients correctly

I have not always enjoyed Maths myself, because at my old school I was not being stretched, and therefore did not find Maths enjoyable. Since coming to Tranby, I have found the challenge system really helpful in solving this problem, and this year I have a Senior School teacher teaching me Maths - we are going to be hearing from her later I particularly enjoy pure Maths, including fractions. This is just my opinion, so let's hear from some other people who may think a little differently.

First, I spoke to Charlie in Year 6, who like me has a passion for Maths. He said, "I like Maths because I like testing my brain with big and small numbers." He went on, "I love adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, but I am not a fan of perimeter and area." I then asked him if he would like to have a job that involves Maths when he is older He said, "I would like to be a footballer when I am older, but if that does not work out, then I would probably be a Maths teacher instead " He added, "My favourite number is 5 because a lot of sporting achievements contain a number 5."

Written by Esme Year 6

Next, I talked to Emily in Year 3. She is not a fan of Maths and she said, "I do not like Maths because I finds it annoying". She also said, 'Though I am not a fan of Maths, I still like adding, but I am not a fan of dividing though " Emily told me, "I would like to have a job that involves Maths when I am older, but I am not sure which job " I asked what her favourite number is "My favourite number is 0, because it reminds me of when I was younger " Finally, I talked to Pre-Prep pupil Clara in Year 1. Clara likes Maths like me. She said, "I like Maths because I like to know all about it " She also told me, "I like adding and subtracting. I feel that if I am stuck, I get help from a teacher Like Charlie and Emily, I asked Clara if she would like to do a job that involves Maths in the future "I would like to be a teacher when I am older who teaches every subject especially Maths and Reading," she said. Clara's favourite number is infinity Well, that's the pupil view, now let's hear from my Maths teacher, Mrs House.

I asked Mrs House about why she likes teaching Maths She said, "I enjoyed the challenge of Maths in school as a pupil and enjoyed the feeling when I got answers correct I didn’t initially find the subject easy, but as I tried harder, I found that my progress was getting better and therefore my confidence. Teaching is a very rewarding job, as I get the chance to try and help people to understand the subject. The ‘light bulb’ moment is wonderful to watch when someone suddenly recognises how to solve a problem. The variety of meeting new personalities each year and watching their journey through school is wonderful."