Maths Department Meeting

Main topic:  Functions and online material

Tuesday 26th April 

Attendance: Marta Vallejo, Steven de Foer, Kathleen Naughton, Daniel Dennehy and Cian Dardis Weldon. 

Introductions were made among the attendees and the reason for, and layout of the meeting was stated. 

The main topic of the meeting functions was discussed. Kathleen began the discussion with an explanation of when and how we introduce functions to the Irish students. She also pointed out that having seen the way the Belgian students introduced the graphs using everyday examples that she will be using this introduction in future with 3rd year students.  

Marta questioned the graphing of functions. Spanish use the vertex to graph the quadratic function while the Irish use a table of points. Daniel explained that at higher level in Ireland we can use completing the square. Belgians use the vertex also to graph the function. 

A discussion of types of graphs covered on each country's curriculum. Ireland has reduced the number of types in recent years while Spain covers the greatest number of graphs, The Belgian curriculum is similar to the Spanish. 

The discussion moved on to teaching and learning in general. The group compared numbers in class and ability of the students in class. Hours of maths per week are similar in Spain and Ireland but Belgium has a different model, depending on the student's choice of level they can choose 3 / 4 / 6 /8 hours of maths per week. 

Spanish teachers choose the class and level they want to teach where the Belgian and Irish work a similar system where they tell their superiors what year groups they would like for the following year and depending on timetabling they hope to have those classes.