Billericay School in Essex is finding a way to bring maths circles to all pupils who want to attend.
With almost 1800 pupils at the school, recruiting a ‘normal’ maths circle of 10 or less pupils could’ve been a real puzzler. He didn’t want to turn anyone away, so as a solution, Mentor Mr Ivanovas invited sixth formers in his double maths class to support the 21 interested pupils.
“They are good problem solvers with good social skills to engage the pupils. It’s like having multiple mentors so I call them mentors as well.” Mr Ivanovas shared.
Having support from the Junior Mentors allows him to float between the “mini maths circles” as pupils grow into adventurous, articulate, and accepting mathematicians.
Pearls of Wisdom
The maths circle thrives on the advice and encouragement from the Junior Mentors and pupils shared some guidance they’ve received:
“Never give up!”
“There are many different methods of getting around difficult problems.”
“Try to take things step by step.”
“They teach us to show like our methods, not just get to the answer straight away, and explain how you actually get to it.”
“Give it a go as the sky’s the limit!”
Progress Over Time
Mr Ivanovas skilfully balances whiteboard wisdom and mini circle collaboration. He also encourages pupils to present their findings with confidence at the whiteboard.
“They are way more confident now to share their ideas,” he noted, “especially with the inclusion of some really articulate pupils.”
“At Axiom Maths, they teach things that are way harder than what we learn in our maths classes. It is nice to be one step ahead of everyone”
Confidence and teamwork amongst the pupils has also soared as one Junior Mentor explained:
“I think it’s really fun because each week you can see how pupils grow in confidence and want to continue challenging themselves. If two partners have get different answers, they speak to each other, help each other and challenge each other’s answers, which I think is good.”
Parallel Growth
The Junior Mentors grow right alongside the pupils. They are enthusiastic and see their role as a stepping stone to their own aspirations:
“Helping out was quite an attractive opportunity to me because I’ve always found it quite fun to teach younger kids and tutor. So obviously, this is perfect for that.” shared one.
“I enjoy expressing the maths to the younger children and showing them skills to develop their mathematical abilities. Also, it’s enhancing my own problem solving skills and being in a leadership role will help me develop for the future.” added another.
There is no doubt that the arrival of sixth form mentors is making positive waves in the group.
As one pupil shared: “It feels like the only place you don’t get judged for answering a question wrong.”
Another added: “I like all the sixth form mentors helping us. I also like to show my parents the questions and test them.”
When asked if there were problems the pupil’s parents couldn’t do, they laughed and said “All of them!”
Multiplying Benefits
This Junior Mentor model shows that when older pupils have the chance to mentor, everyone benefits. More pupils get the opportunity to join the maths circle and inspiration is supercharged. Sixth formers develop real leadership skills and mentors can run the whole maths circle smoothly.
Bring together one mentor, five sixth formers, a group of young mathematicians, and some tricky puzzles, and you get a room bursting with energy, noise, and inspiration!
Interested in working with sixth formers? Speak to your point of contact to join the Junior Mentor programme.