"Learning to Love Math" Judy Willis

(Kindle edition), 2010, ASCD.

Judy Willis, as a neurologist turned educator, has an unique perspective on how children learn. She infuses this knowledge into her teaching, and her students must be all the richer for it. Personally, I gained much from looking at teaching in this light - it can help you see just how children do struggle when conditions aren't right for them to learn.

Willis begin by revisiting what I'm sure we've all come across in our maths lessons, the 'negativity' that can occur, in particular in maths. With such a large range of content to 'cover', we are (well, I am) frequently at a loss as to how to teach it effectively. And Willis confirms what we already knew - children can't learn anyway when they're stressed, so you can't force it. They have to want to learn it.

And this is a reassuring point. From all of my previous research, this is an outstanding similarity. Children learn best when they are invested in what they are learning - teaching them 'because it's on the curriculum' won't suffice.

Throughout the book, Willis delivers in an even, pragmatic tone, teaching that you should and can be doing in maths. She blends in knowledge about the brain with fantastic ideas that will help with the boreds and the confused. She even includes a handy 'Brain Owner's Manual', which you can use to inform your students that yes, they can learn how to be smart!

Willis suggests teaching your students about how their brain can improve, and so their maths skills (and indeed, any other) can also improve. She mentions such strategies as dend-writes, sy-naps, and the neuroplasticity of the brain that enables us to build on new knowledge. She does this, I might add, without the book being bogged down in academia.

She discusses the art of achievable challenge, that is, ensuring each child in the class is working to their capacity. Sound like pipe dreams? It can be done! Using formative assessment and targeted planning, for a start, you can put them on the right track to learning the maths they can.

It can be tricky, as an educator, juggling the different learning needs of a class of many, but the ideas in this book show you how. Alert those minds, differentiate for achievable challenge, and reduce anxiety! Start... now!