Mr. Paul Crone:

Maths is a really important subject. The only way to build confidence in it is to experience success.

There are opportunities to build that confidence among the students and support them with their mathematical ability. The key is when you see relevance in what you are doing. If you are doing algebra for example, it is important to have the time to explore where algebra has practical applications that will make sense to students, and in a skills-based curriculum you have those opportunities to get students active. Where it falls down then is by the leaving certificate, where the focus is on the make-or-break exam. Teaching first year is not just a matter of looking at first year; teachers have a mind on the CAO points and that is hamstringing it all the way down. What we want to do is create the opportunities where students can experience that success and have the confidence to try it, and fail or succeed, and eventually bring them to success.