Mathematical Resilience at Angles Maths Hub

The LLME (Local Leaders in Maths Education) that work for Angles Maths Hub, supporting schools throughout the region, continue to meet regularly to share good practice and develop their skills.

This year we have started to work in small, cross-phase, groups to create a collaborative partnership. We are looking at different areas of research including supporting students with SEND, developing mathematical resilience and working with learners who suffer from maths anxiety.  

Sue Johnston Wilder, an associate professor at Warwick University, and a leading expert in Mathematical Resilience and Maths Anxiety, spoke at our most recent LLME session about her new book ‘The Mathematical Resilience Book’. One interesting idea that she discussed with us, involves the Growth Zone model. This model was designed as part of Sue’s research into developing mathematical resilience.

Students in the Comfort Zone find the maths easy, they are not learning anything new and may become bored and disengaged. Students need to be encouraged to work in the Growth Zone, where they will feel challenged. Students will need to show resilience and perseverance but will find the work exciting. Students in the Anxiety Zone will find the work too challenging and may feel panicked, isolated and upset. They need to be helped back into the Comfort Zone so they can re-boot their learning and move back to the Growth Zone.