The 2023 Chronicle

MATHEMATICS

MATHEMATICS, MATHEMATICAL LITERACY AND FURTHER STUDIES MATHEMATICS Head of Department: Ms Aldi Smith Staff: Mrs Amanda Emmott, Mr Sibonelo Khanyile, Mr Siphesihle Mabaso, Ms Karin Moffat, Mr Steven Ngwenya, Mr Craig Pieterse, Mrs Angela van Wyngaard Interns: Mr Sinethemba Mabaleka, Mr Linda Mabuza, Mr Thokozani Ngcobo, Mr Xavier Saunderson Part-time Staff: Mr Paul de Wet, Mrs Glynnis Owen, Mr Peter Stevens STAFFING headed the mathematics department at Epworth. During the year we said farewell to Mr Craig Pieterse and Mr Siphesihle Mabaso, who left South Africa to take up roles in England and the United Arab Emirates, respectively. We thank them for their contributions and we wish them everything of the best for their new adventures. At mid-year we welcomed Mrs Amanda Emmott, who previously taught at St Mary’s, Kloof. We have appointed Mr Graeme Lucas-Bull, who is presently part-time at Oakhill but previously taught at St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown, and Mr Conrad Bubb, who joins us from the Generation Schools in Somerset West. Both of them start in 2024 and we look forward to their contributions to our team. Although the team has experienced significant changes over a short period, including a change of leadership, we are settling into new ways of being, with collaboration and collegiality remaining a priority. At the start of next year we will be undertaking a visioning and strategy exercise, and we look forward to reporting on the outcomes thereof in 2024. SOUTH AFRICAN MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD We had a total of 180 boys taking part in the first round, of which 119 qualified to progress to the second round. Roelof Rossouw achieved a place in the top 100 in the country, qualifying him to write the third and final round. He excelled in this, receiving an honourable mention and finishing inside the top 50 nationally. This is an outstanding achievement by any standards, but particularly so given that Roelof is only in C Block. He has been invited to attend a training camp in Stellenbosch at the end of the year and we look forward to seeing what he might yet achieve in his B and A Block years. GRADE 8 MATHEMATICS COMPETITIONS Michaelhouse E Blockers attended two competitions: the Mike Nicholson Grade 8 Maths Fest at the Wykeham Collegiate in July and the Saints Maths Evening at St Charles College in October. At both events our boys were put in teams with boys and girls from other schools, giving them a good opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. On both occasions Michaelhouse boys featured in teams placed in the top three. A t the beginning of the year we welcomed Mrs Angela van Wyngaard, who returned to KZN from Herzlia High School in the Western Cape, having previously

A BLOCK MATH CAMP As we have done for a number of years we gave the A Block boys the opportunity to attend the Michaelhouse Math Camp, which involves them staying at school for the Thursday and Friday morning of the mid-term break in the Michaelmas quarter. All but three boys took advantage of this offering, which saw different teachers work through all the topics that the boys would face in their trial examinations in the coming weeks. Each boy was furnished with a Math Camp workbook which included, by topic: summaries, tips, tricks, techniques and a mix of questions spanning the full range of cognitive levels. A full set of worked solutions was provided digitally on completion of the camp. Last year, for the first time we offered a Further Mathematics (formerly Advanced Programme Mathematics) stream at Math Camp. This was well received, so we did the same again this year. In both subjects the boys enjoyed exposure to different teachers and teaching styles, and we hope this intervention will add further lustre to their results. This subject continues to attract significant interest and serves as a valuable extension and enrichment opportunity for our more capable boys. The subject previously comprised two compulsory papers: a two-hour paper (algebra and calculus) written by all and then a one-hour paper on an elective module (statistics, finance and modelling or graph theory and matrices). The option now exists for boys to write just the two-hour exam, giving them a Further Studies Mathematics Standard qualification, or both papers giving them a Further Studies Mathematics Extended qualification. This potentially makes the subject accessible to more boys. Boys now also have the option of writing one of their papers in April or even in their B Block year. The top-set boys in B Block opted to write the statistics module at the end of the year, and we await their results with interest. They will have the opportunity of writing again next year should they wish to try and do better still. MATHEMATICAL LITERACY Mr Sibonelo Khanyile recently took over the reins of this department from Mr Craig Pieterse. The subject has thrived on his watch, but he will be leaving at the end of the year after a very successful season at Michaelhouse. We have appointed Mr Conrad Bubb to take on this important role. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT We continue to look for ways to develop our team. Apart from the ad hoc sharing which takes place continually, we also have a number of members of our team involved in the IEB examinations, from setting to senior marking to marking. In addition, Mr Paul de Wet and Ms Aldi Smith have presented talks at the online National IEB User Group Conference in the past two years. Apart from the personal growth that comes from these involvements, we are proud to be making significant contributions to mathematics education on the national stage. FURTHER STUDIES MATHEMATICS (formerly Advanced Programme Mathematics)

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