Thinking Deeply About Primary Mathematics - A Review

Kieran Mackle’s work on the Thinking Deeply About Primary Education podcast is well known and the way that he marries research with practice, ably assisted by his excellent guests adds value to any Primary listener. A reading of Thinking deeply about Primary Mathematics is like a magnification of Kieran’s research into practice style of thought in an area where he has such doubtless expertise.

Each section continually left me, as an experienced teacher, internally making sharp connections that had previously felt like they were there to be made but couldn’t quite connect the dots. Kieran’s clarity of thought and, more importantly, clarity of communication of that thought, clear the mist and make the connections obvious.

His writing on variation theory, in particular is one of the most practical and accessible pieces of thinking on the subject that I have come across and the models for thinking about question design are an asset to anybody with Maths planning responsibility. To write something that simultaneously clarifies some of the more troublesome concepts of Mathematics teaching and shows how they connect together for experienced teachers while also providing knowledge that would surely be the bedrock for new Primary teachers is really quite remarkable.

One of the most practical and accessible pieces of thinking on the subject that I have come across

My only disappointments are the references to Liverpool football club as I had hoped that Kieran would be a Manchester United supporter but given the quality, clarity and clear enthusiasm of the message, even that can be forgiven! EduPulse is all about being in the conversation and Kieran Mackle’s Thinking Deeply about Primary Mathematics shows exactly how impactful reasoned, thought out and connected thinking can be to that wider educational conversation.

Important and practical - highly recommended.

Thinking Deeply About Mathematics is available here from John Catt