Mathematics

Welcome to James Hargest Mathematics

Everyone needs to learn Mathematics. It is essential in most areas of employment. It is also a basic necessity in many other aspects of everyday life. An understanding of Mathematics helps people to develop logical approaches to procedures and arguments. A feel for Mathematics helps people to appreciate symmetry and patterns and to make sensible design decisions.

All students will have the opportunity to work with and explore mathematical problems in ways that encourage them to be enquiring, systematic, creative, resourceful, self reliant and preserving. They will gain confidence and competence in the use of number, and will develop the skills of measurement, construction and spatial interpretation. They will learn to collect, organise and interpret data, to use apparatus, to generalise from patterns and relationships and to think abstractly.

National Initiatives

Ministry of Education ClassPad Calculator Pilot Scheme

James Hargest College has  been one of 22 schools nationwide to participate in this project. The aim of the pilot study is to improve teaching and learning of Mathematics. Students have been encouraged to explore problems and make generalisations with the support of this new technology. Two year nine classes and two year ten classes have been involved.

Numeracy

James Hargest College has continued with both the Intermediate and Secondary Numeracy project in Years 7 to 10. Both teachers and students are finding that the project is providing them with more strategies to solve everyday problems without the use of a calculator. Numeracy will continue to be a focus in 2008.

Opportunities

Extension Mathematics.

While some classes at each junior level have participate in an Advanced Mathematics programme, thirty students are also chosen to take part in a special extension programme, run weekly over two terms. This programme focusses on extending students' mathematical problem solving skills and allowed them to compete in an Australian Mathematics Olympiad. In 2007 Jeremy O'Connor Year 9 was awarded a trophy as top achiever at James Hargest College.

University Mathematics Paper

 In 2007 four Year 13 students undertook a Level One Mathematics Course through Canterbury University which proved to be both stimulating and challenging. The results achieved were outstanding

Scholarship Success

The Department congratulates Kevin Lo achieving New Zealand Scholarship in Mathematics with Calculus

Competitions

Students have the opportunity to extend their Mathematics outside the classroom in the following events.

National Bank Junior Mathematics

Eton Press Senior Mathematics

Australian Mathematics Competition

Southland Mathematics Association Competition (SMAC)

Welcome to James Hargest Mathematics

Everyone needs to learn Mathematics. It is essential in most areas of employment. It is also a basic necessity in many other aspects of everyday life. An understanding of Mathematics helps people to develop logical approaches to procedures and arguments. A feel for Mathematics helps people to appreciate symmetry and patterns and to make sensible design decisions. Students will see the relevance of Mathematics to their lives and they will tackle mathematical problems arising in realistic contexts which are meaningful to them.

All students will have the opportunity to work with and explore mathematical problems in ways that encourage them to be enquiring, systematic, creative, resourceful, self reliant and preserving. They will gain confidence and competence in the use of number, and will develop the skills of measurement, construction and spatial interpretation. They will learn to collect, organise and interpret data, to use apparatus, to generalise from patterns and relationships and to think abstractly.

Mathematics Department

Ministry of Education ClassPad Calculator Pilot Scheme

James Hargest College has  been one of 22 schools nationwide to participate in this project. The aim of the pilot study is to improve teaching and learning of Mathematics. Students have been encouraged to explore problems and make generalisations with the support of this new technology. Two year nine classes and two year ten classes have been involved.

Numeracy

James Hargest College has continued with both the Intermediate and Secondary Numeracy project in Years 7 to 10. Both teachers and students are finding that the project is providing them with more strategies to solve everyday problems without the use of a calculator. Numeracy will continue to be a focus in 2008.

Extension Mathematics.

While some classes at each junior level have participate in an Advanced Mathematics programme, thirty students are also chosen to take part in a special extension programme, run weekly over two terms. This programme focusses on extending students' mathematical problem solving skills and allowed them to compete in an Australian Mathematics Olympiad. In 2007 Jeremy O'Connor Year 9 was awarded a trophy as top achiever at James Hargest College.

University Mathematics paper

In 2007 four Year 13 students undertook a Level One Mathematics Course through Canterbury University which proved to be both stimulating and challenging. The results achieved were outstanding

Jonathon Cuff               A+

Kevin Lo                      A+

Michael Waterhouse     A+

Rajat Bakshi                 A-

Competitions

National Bank Junior Mathematics

Eton Press Senior Mathematics

Australian Mathematics Competition

Southland Mathematics Association Competition (SMAC)