Minister for Education Ben Carroll announced yesterday that a further 100 public school teachers will become mathematics education specialists through the Primary Mathematics and Science Specialists (PMSS) initiative.
The more than $20 million initiative is part of the Labor Government’s plan to “deliver teaching excellence in maths and science” in its attempts to ensure more students excel in both subjects.
The teachers will be trained over the next two years – giving them expert knowledge and skills to teach and assess mathematics.
The program, the Government said, provides high quality face to face and online professional learning, including the development of teachers’ learning and knowledge about the important and key concepts and pedagogies in mathematics/science learning, help in assisting colleagues to further develop their practice and the development of whole school level improvements.
They’ll use the skills to boost primary students’ engagement and achievement in mathematics – an underpinning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll said mathematics is a vital skill and the Government is doing all it can to ensure students are taught by the best maths teachers “so they can achieve their full potential at school and in life”.
“We’re making sure more schools have access to maths specialists – ensuring that more kids can get the best education and develop a passion for mathematics,” Carroll said.
The Government said evaluations of previous PMSS cohorts show the training of teachers as specialists results in student achievement going up at all year levels in mathematics and science.
Teachers, it said, reported training was more consistent, integrated and effective, leading to improved results in the classroom.
According to the Government, PMSS is ensuring more Victorian primary school students benefit from having STEM leaders in their schools to provide them with the skills needed for the jobs of the future.
The next 100 teachers to become maths specialists will follow in the footsteps of the 800 teachers from 430 schools who have already completed the training and are now leaders in STEM knowledge and delivery within their schools.
