What's New?

The Maths Olympics

Maths Comedian, Simon Pampena, will bring his acclaimed show to Sydney as part of a national tour to prepare Australians for the biggest sporting event of the year: The Maths Olympics. The Maths Olympics is a high-energy interactive hour of music, comedy, dance and maths during which Pampena shares the passion we need to be #1 in the world’s greatest sport. As part of National Science Week he will tour the country, turning dormant maths potential into gold medal reality. There will be three Free performances: Friday 22 August at the Big Night of Science 6:30 pm at the Powerhouse Museum and Saturday 23 August at Family Science day 11:00 am and 2:00 pm at ABC Centre, Ultimo. Maths Content suitable for Year 6 & up. Read more about the performances.

A one hour free performance is being offered to a school in the metropolitan area on the afternoon of Monday 25 August. If you are interested in having this at your school you can contact Trent McCarthy at trentmccarthy@gmail.com to discuss the possibilities

Year 9 Girls+Maths+Science = Choices Summer School

The University of Newcastle Yr 9 Girls + Maths + Science = Choices Summer School is five day residential summer school for 180 Year 9 girls. The summer school, which will be held from 7 - 12 December 2008 at the University of Newcastle, aims to promote Mathematics, Science and Technology subjects through motivational activities. The Yr 9 Girls + Maths + Science = Choices Summer School is for students who fall into DEEWR defined Student Equity Target Groups. i.e Indigenous and non-Indigenous students from low socio-economic/low income backgrounds, from remote and regional areas, students with disabilities and students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Without explicit encouragement from teachers and support of their school, girls from these groups are less likely to apply. The Summer School targets students with potential (may be unrealised) for studying Mathematics and Science in years 11 and 12. We aim to boost confidence in female students’ ability to achieve in these subjects and to expose them to the range of study and career options that exist for HSC graduates with Maths and Science. Limited number of places available for teachers accompanying students.
Cost: $100 - covers all accommodation, food and excursions. Travel to and from Newcastle responsibility of parents / schools.
Application closing date: 15 August.
For more information visit: www.newcastle.edu.au/service/equity/girlschoicessummerschool/index.html
Phone: 02 - 4921 6370        E-mail: girlschoices@newcastle.edu.au

The 2008 Caltex and Rotary Club of Sydney Awards for Innovation in Teaching

are currently on offer to pioneering New South Wales teachers. Primary and secondary school teachers across the state are invited to submit entries for the annual award program that seeks to acknowledge the work of remarkable New South Wales teachers who are making a contribution through their innovative programs for students, teachers or practices in their schools. Three winners will be chosen and rewarded with an educational trip abroad, valued at up to $7,000 each. The purpose of the trip is to give teachers the opportunity to share, and learn more about, their area of academic innovation in an international environment.
Download more information here.

Census At School Data Collection 2008 is now open

The second data collection is now open for your students to submit a Questionnaire. In 2006 over 112,000 students did so. This has provided a wonderful resource of a large database of relevant, up to date data about Australian students, FREE online.
Download more information here, or visit www.abs.gov.au/censusatschool.

National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008: 1-7 September

Join schools across Australia and get your students collecting, sharing and investigating data! This year,the sixth annual Reach for the Stars project will see students making and testing predictions about the distribution of coins thrown onto a target.
For more information about this popular free annual project for all students from pre-school to secondary go to www.nlnw.edu.au where you can register online.

UWS Pilot Question-and-Answer Program for teachers in Western Sydney

The University of Western Sydney is setting up a pilot program where UWS mathematicians provide a question and answer service for Mathematics teachers in an online environment. The sorts of questions they can help with might include mathematics question related to any of the calculus-based courses or questions in relation to an application of mathematics.

Any teachers in Western Sydney who are interested in participating in this pilot program should email Dr Leanne Rylands at (l.rylands@uws.edu.au) including your current school name, your MANSW membership number and any mathematics questions you currently have. Places in this pilot program will be limited - so don't delay!

New Mathematics Education Postgraduate Units at Macquarie. 

Macquarie University is offering two new postgraduate units in mathematics education. The units focus on new approaches in teaching and learning, using technology, curriculum and assessment in mathematics. For more information, see www.aces.mq.edu.au/education or contact Margaret Fegent 9850 8649; email: margaret.fegent@mq.edu.au

FREE resources

• The science/maths team at the Centre for learning Innovation have just started an exciting initiative to support maths and science students and teachers called Science talk. We will be involving real scientists and mathematicians - some young, some prominent, some young and prominent - in interesting kids in the opportunities that studies in science and mathematics have to offer. If you would like a sneak preview of the website (very early days), containing some science and maths resources suitable for a whole range of students, go to www.cli.nsw.edu.au/cli/sciencetalk/index.htm.
• Each week 2 new mathematics problems with detailed worked solutions for use by senior mathematics students are posted on www.chemas.com.
• FREE 48 page Olympic Maths workbook "In the Running for the Olympics". Excellent for year 6 / year 7 mathematics classes in preparation for Beijing 2008.  To receive the workbook send an email to chemas@chemas.com giving teacher name and school mailing address.

STAGE 6 Board of Studies Update

Information about the update is available here

Clarification about abbreviations and Geometrical Reasons

At the HSC and SC 2006: Feedback and Advice Day held at Macquarie University on Saturday 24th February some teachers may have been given the impression that common abbreviations for geometrical terms (such as 'alt' for 'alternate') were not accepted by HSC markers in 2006.

Carol Taylor, the Director of Assessment and Reporting, at the Office of the Board of Studies has provided the following clarification for the information of all MANSW members:

"The Supervisor of Marking and the Chief Examiner for the 2006 HSC examinations in Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1 and Mathematics Extension 2 have advised me that commonly accepted abbreviations in geometrical proofs were accepted by markers, provided that the abbreviation left the marker in no doubt that the student knew the relevant theorem or property. This is consistent with past practice in these examinations."

We hope this further information clarifies the situation for all MANSW members.

MANSW members are invited to contribute to 'The stories we tell', a publication to help mark MANSW's centenary.

MANSW Calendar of Events

Our calendar is now online, with links to further information about many of our inservices and student activities.