Summary by Activity
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Summary by Activity 1. The NMA Professional Network Meetings To help and support all mathematics teachers in the NMA Cluster area the NMA will be organising a series of “network meetings” to be held once per term. These meetings will run 4:30pm to 6:30pm and will be held at a different venue each term and have a different focus each term. Come along and share your experiences and hear what others are doing. 2. Newcastle Mathematics Association Stage 5.1 Maths Competition. Open to students in year 10 studying mathematics at the stage 5.1 level in NSW. Prizes will be awarded for the best performing students in Newcastle Cluster region, (i.e. schools in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Upper Hunter and Central Coast districts). If there are sufficient entries prizes may also be awarded for other Cluster regions. Full details will be available early in Term 2. 3. Colin Doyle Maths Competition Open to students from schools in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Upper Hunter and Central Coast districts and who are in year 11 studying Extension I mathematics. 4. Inquisitive Minds Workshop This workshop is run by the private company Inquisitive Minds in conjunction with MANSW. From the company’s website: Students will be immersed in mathematical and logical thinking as they learn and utilise foundational and advanced problem solving strategies. In 2016, Hunter based workshop are being held at Francis Greenway High School and Hunter School of Performing Arts. These workshops are for gifted and talented Year 8 students at schools within the NMA Cluster region. Limited to 12 students per school. 5. Maths Enrichment – The University of Newcastle Young Mathematicians Program This program is a series of maths enrichment activities run across the year by the University of Newcastle and supported by the NMA. One set of activities is aimed at year 9 and year 10 students and runs in term 2, term 3 and term 4 of the school year. Another set of activities is aimed at Year 11 students and runs over term 3 of the school year. The overarching theme of the Young Mathematicians Program is “Encouraging creativity in mathematics”. 6. Regional Development Australia – Hunter’s Leveraging a STEM Workforce Conference RDA Hunter’s Leveraging a STEM Workforce for the Future Conference will highlight the benefits of a STEM workforce to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development. It aims to build stronger relationships between STEM employers and education institutions in order to improve student workplace skills. 7. HSC Markers Day This is a seminar session in which markers of the various HSC mathematics papers give advice and insights based on their marking experience to the current cohort of HSC students and their teachers. Newcastle Mathematics Association 8. National Statistical Literacy Program This program, run by the University of Newcastle and supported by the NMA, provides an opportunity for students to apply and develop the statistical tools and techniques they have learnt in class. This project-based learning activity involves teams of 2 to 5 secondary school students creating an informative poster presentation based on the collection and interpretation of data towards addressing a practical research question. Open to all secondary school students nationally. There are three divisions: Years 7-8; 9-10; 11-12. 9. Australian Maths Competition Workshop and Training Group The Australian Mathematics Trust (AMT) runs the very well regarded national Australian Mathematics Competitions. These competitions are also used to identify students who may potentially go on to international competitions such as the Mathematics Olympiad. To nurture this type of talent the AMT supports the running of a workshop for students who do well in local mathematics competitions and a subsequent training group. At this stage the NMA is still trying to get this idea off the ground. 10. The Newcastle Permanent Primary Mathematics Competition This competition is one the longest running primary mathematics competitions in Australia. It has been, and continues to be, run by a series of dedicated individuals with the backing of the Newcastle Permanent Building Society. While this competition is not organised by the NMA it has our full support. 11. The Newcastle Permanent Primary Mathematics Camp As a follow up to the Newcastle Permanent Primary Mathematics Competition the top 100 Year 5 Hunter based students in that competition are invited the following year to a weekend mathematics camp. While this camp is not organised by the NMA it has our full support. 12. mathsInspiration UK Show MANSW is arranging for Maths Inspiration UK to present this year in Newcastle. Friday, 19 August, 2016 Morning Show 10am to Noon Venue: Newcastle Conservatorium See MANSW website for information about last year’s performance and a ABC news clip video - it was an amazing show. Newcastle Mathematics Association 2016 NMA Activities in Detail 1. The NMA Professional Network Meetings To help and support all mathematics teachers in the NMA Cluster area the NMA will be organising a series of “network meetings” to be held once per term. These meetings will run 4:30pm to 6:30pm and will be held at a different venue each term and have a different focus each term. Come along and share your experiences and hear what others are doing. Dates: Term 1, Week 7, Term 2, Week 6, Term 3, Week 6, Term 4, Week 6 Audience: Open to all secondary mathematics teachers and primary teachers interested in mathematics in the Newcastle/Lake Macquarie area. Coordinator: Cassandra Portelli (Hunter School of Performing Arts) Details: Date & Time: Wednesday 9th March, (Term 1, Week 7), 4:30pm – 6:30pm Focus area: Bridging the Stage 3 to Stage 4 divide Leader: Stuart Palmer (MANSW) Venue: Club Macquarie Date & Time: Wednesday 1st June, (Term 2, Week 6), 4:30pm – 6:30pm Focus area: Project based learning and alternative assessment Leaders: Carolyn Nolan, Ruth Glasgow, Deb Bowman Venue: Lambton High for high school teachers Hamilton South Public for primary teachers Date & Time: Wednesday 24th August, (Term 3, Week 56, 4:30pm – 6:30pm Focus area: The STEM revolution Leader: Les Tryk, Scott Sleap (Regional Development Australia) Venue: Gelndale Technology High Date & Time: Wednesday 16th November, (Term 4, Week 6), 4:30pm – 6:30pm Focus area: Where are we with the new curriculum? Stage 6 and primary. Leader: Susan Barrie (BOSTES) Venue: Belair Public School Newcastle Mathematics Association 2. Newcastle Mathematics Association Stage 5.1 Maths Competition Date: Thursday 28th July 2016, (same day as the Australian Mathematics Competition) Audience: Open to students in year 10 studying mathematics at the stage 5.1 level in NSW. Prizes will be awarded for the best performing students in Newcastle Cluster region, (i.e. schools in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Upper Hunter and Central Coast districts). If there are sufficient entries prizes may also be awarded for other Cluster regions. Full details will be available early in Term 2. Coordinator: Ian Stockings (Ex Hunter School of Performing Arts) Details: • This year the paper will be set by Kevin Rees. • Each school is provided with a master copy to print. • The entry fee will be $3.00 per student for MANSW member schools, $5.00 for non- member schools. • Full details are emailed to schools around the middle of term 2. • This paper is sat on the same day as the Australian Mathematics Competition and hence schools will use that organisation for their students. • Each school to mark the papers in accordance with a given marking scale. Re-marking of selected papers from each school may occur before any certificates are awarded. • Monetary prizes have been awarded to the top five students as follows. The top student received $100, the next student received $50 and the following three students each received $20. Each school of prize winners make their own arrangements to present the prizes at an appropriate time and place. Notes: • In 2014 the competition was restricted to schools in the Newcastle Cluster’s traditional catching area. Number of schools - 10 Number of entrants - 207 Number who sat the test - 153 Newcastle Mathematics Association 3. Colin Doyle Maths Competition Date: November 2016 (Exact Date to be Confirmed) Audience: Open to students from schools in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Upper Hunter and Central Coast districts and who are in year 11 studying Extension I mathematics. Coordinator: Jim MacDougall (Ex The University of Newcastle) Details: • This year the paper will be set by Jim MacDougall • Printing and distribution of the papers will be done by administration support from the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Newcastle. • There is no cost to enter this competition. Schools are asked to complete the entry form indicating the names of students entering the competition. • It is up to individual schools on how they organise for their students to sit the paper on the set date. • Marking of the papers will be done by Jim MacDougall. • Monetary prizes have been awarded to the top three students as follows. The top student received $100, the next student received $75 and the third placed student received $50. Each school of the individual prize winners makes their own arrangements to present the prizes at an appropriate time and place. Notes: • The Colin Doyle Competition began over 30 years ago (we are not sure of the exact year!) and has been held annually ever since. It was established by the Newcastle Mathematical Association for students in Year 11 in schools in Newcastle and the Hunter region. The competition is named in honour of Colin Doyle who was the long- standing Head of Mathematics at Newcastle Teachers’ College. Colin influenced several generations of mathematics teachers in the region. In recent years the scope has expanded somewhat to include the Central Coast region.