Maths Scholarships – The Benefits For ITT Providers
There are many benefits to having a Maths Scholar on your initial teacher training course. Every student who has received a Mathematics Teacher Teaching Scholarship has been selected as they:
- are passionate about mathematics
- have the potential to be an inspirational teacher
- will inspire the next generation of mathematicians
- will be remembered by their students for all the right reasons.
They should be high calibre students who are committed to becoming outstanding maths teachers, and for ITT providers they should be ideal students.
The Application Process
Every Maths Scholar has been through a rigorous assessment process – they have written a personal statement and completed an assessment comprising of three parts:
- Answering “Why am I learning about..I'll never need it!; to assess their ability to: explain the relevance of a KS3 mathematics topic in an appropriate way: show mathematics is an engaging subject to learn and present their ideas on how they can use resources to support the learning of mathematics.
- Linking a topic across the school curriculum to assess their ability to show applications and benefits of a KS3 mathematics topic across the wider curriculum.
- Wider questions about the scholarship scheme and mathematicsto enable us to judge their personal qualities, motivation and enthusiasm to be an inspirational mathematics teacher, and their understanding of mathematicians and their relevance to secondary school students.
Completing this process takes commitment, as it will be time consuming for the students who prepare properly. Every Maths Scholar has shown that they are willing and able to pass this extra test; demonstrating organisational skills as well as a passion for maths teaching.
Free CPD
For each cohort of Maths Scholars there will be free, and exclusive, CPD events for them to attend. These will include talks from inspiring maths speakers, as well as organised visits and a trip to the National STEM Learning Centre. Past speakers have included a variety of well known presenters including Nira Chamberlain, Keith Still and Katie Steckles. Our Maths Scholars have made Enigma Machines From Pringles Tubes and Interlocking Cubes Out Of Old Train Tickets, and been on a trip to Bletchley Park where they enjoyed a bespoke group guided tour introducing them to the Bletchley Park story and a one hour interactive CPD session with the Learning Department.
Maths Scholars will be able to share what they have learnt with their fellow students, or colleagues if undertaking an unsalaried School Direct course, and will also be able to bring back free resources. This extra CPD should have a positive ripple effect on any ITT course.
The free CPD events do not end once the Maths Scholars have finished their ITT course. We also invite members of our Alumni to CPD events, to carry on their professional development and continue the networking opportunities. If you have a previous Maths Scholar at your school, why not ask them about the free CPD events they’ve been invited to.
At the end of the academic year, all our Maths Scholars and Alumni who have attended our CPD events receive a CPD certificate.
Professional Bodies
All Maths Teaching Scholars get two years free membership to the follwoing organisations::
- IMA (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications)
- LMS (London Mathematical Society)
- The MA (The Mathematical Association)
Scholars will receive a wide range of benefits such as magazines; free or discounted journals; discounted conferences and access to online resources. Scholars will be able to stay up to date with the latest developments in maths teaching and gain many ideas for the classroom. These memberships will also be of benefit when it comes to writing essays, and reading more widely on the subject of maths education.
Scholars will also get free access for two years to MEI’s Integral which is an on-line set of resources for teaching A-level Maths and A-level Further Maths. An individual subscription would normally cost £120 annually. All of these freebies will enrich the experience of your ITT students – it will improve the breadth of their knowledge and make them more well rounded and informed teachers.
A wider community of Scholars
A Maths Scholar has access to an even wider mix of knowledge and experience, in the form of the Scholar Community. Each Maths Scholar will be able to share resources and ideas with these other students, further enriching their training experience. It is hoped that these professional networks will continue well beyond the programme, bearing fruit for years to come.
What can ITT providers do?
First of all – spread the word among prospective ITT students. Encourage them to apply for the scheme and let them know about the benefits.
For people who are already Maths Scholars on your course – ask them about the benefits – find out about the CPD they are attending and about the resources which they have found. Encourage them to share their knowledge with other students and to make the most of everything which they have access to.