December can be a tough month in the teaching world. The days are cold and dark, end of term assessments loom and both pupils and teachers are ready for a well-earned break after the longest term in the year. Whilst we understand not every school marks the season in the same way, most feel the unmistakable end of term shift in energy.
In many departments, this can translate into pressure to replace normal lessons with games or quizzes in an effort to make it feel lighter. And that’s completely understandable. Everyone is tired, pupils are restless and teachers are doing what they can to maintain momentum and morale. But it’s worth pausing to consider: why does ‘fun’ in maths so often get tacked on at the end of term? What message does that send?
The last week climb
There are plenty of reasons why end-of-term fun has taken hold. Pupils expect curriculum learning to pause and the grumbles begin the moment they see a worksheet instead of a film or Kahoot quiz on the board. We hear it a lot as teachers: maths is “too heavy” for weary minds. In the instinct to reward pupils for their hard work with a change of routine, or a pressure to maintain behaviour with a lighter version of the usual lesson, the pattern becomes predictable.
The unintended consequence is powerful. It frames meaningful maths as incompatible with enjoyment. And that’s particularly problematic for pupils who thrive on challenge, no matter where they are in the school year. The truth is that we don’t need to choose between fun and meaningful learning. Rigour and engagement are two ends of the Christmas cracker – both pulled together to create a bang!
Fun and rigour aren’t mutually exclusive
Through our work with schools and mentors, we’ve seen that enjoyment emerges because pupils are thinking deeply (not in spite of them doing so!). Curiosity bubbles from a surprising problem. Struggling productively with a meaningful problem leads to a satisfactory eureka moment. Collaborative reasoning and mathematical discussions raise entertaining debates which linger long after the maths circle ends.
This is the fun that counts. It stretches beyond the confines of a festive word search or an x-mas themed code breaker. Rich problems, real-world hooks and puzzles that develop big ideas can bring enjoyment naturally. And importantly, this doesn’t need to mean extra marking or heavy planning burdens.
There is of course still plenty of room for festive touches – no one likes a Scrooge! The point is that fun doesn’t require lowering the mathematical ceiling.
What might this look like?
- Mini mathematical debates – work in pairs to prove a solution is true or false and compare arguments
- Themed mathematical etudes – tasks designed to embed extensive practice of a well-defined mathematical techniques within a richer, exploratory and aesthetically pleasing context
- 5 minute challenges to break up a lesson that might otherwise feel practice-focused
- Pupil-led explanations of solving a problem
Whether or not your school leans into Christmas festivities, the final week often carries a different rhythm. Our hope is that fun and challenge can remain part of that rhythm for all pupils.
The golden thread
Reigniting joy in maths helps pupils see the subject as something creative, inspiring and exciting. Something that tickles the brain and invites them to see a future world where maths has a place. Fun should be a golden thread weaved throughout the year, not just designated to a week. And our pupils deserve to feel that every week.