Over the years, we have received numerous letters, phone calls and e-mails about the positive way The PAUL GODDING Maths Roadshow has influenced both children and teachers.

Our first example is some typical correspondence from a school in Northern Ireland following a visit a few years ago:

Dear Paul

On behalf of the P6 and P7 pupils of The Armstrong Primary School, I would like to thank you for visiting the school in April 2004.

The interactive maths activities, which you shared with the pupils, enthused and inspired them to a level rarely witnessed in the field of primary school mathematics.  Pupils and staff alike appreciated the degree of thought and preparation which you had invested in the day and look forward to the possibility of you visiting The Armstrong again in the future.

Many thanks once again.

We also received a short e-mail from a Secondary School after one of our MathMagic Competitions in West Wales in 2005, which involved the school’s Year 7 pupils as well as many Year 6 children from local feeder schools:

Many thanks for today, Paul.

We thought it was great and thoroughly enjoyed your visit.  Thank you for being so good to work with.  I hope you were satisfied with our side of things.

In September 2005, I delivered some sessions to Year 5 & 6 pupils from Hitchin Girls’ School’s six main feeder schools over a 3-day period.  This culminated in a MathMagic Competition between a small group of children from each of the feeder schools.  It was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone involved and was hosted by the mathematics department of Hitchin Girls’ School.  There were even some very impressed Korean visitors in attendance who took a keen interest in the proceedings!  The aim of this exercise was to forge greater links between all schools involved.  As a result, and soon after the event, we received a ‘thank you’ card:

Dear Paul

Thank you for coming and delivering your Roadshows.  The feedback that I have had from our staff, and both staff and students from the Junior Schools, has been excellent.

As part of some Mathcymru  funding, a secondary school in Ceredigion invited us to work with their children as part of Maths Week in Wales during October 2005.  This is their letter of thanks:

Dear Paul

Thank you very much for coming to the school and for providing an enjoyable day for our Year 9 pupils.  Teachers and pupils had great pleasure participating in the various activities.  MathMagic was a great success in the Numeracy lunchtime club with Year 7 pupils.

During one of the many weeks spent working with Setpoint Gloucestershire, we visited many different Primary Schools.  This is a letter we received as a result of our visit to one of these schools in November 2005.  A return visit was also made in January 2007 as part of a European project with partner schools from across the continent.  Teachers from Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands were also present and sportingly took part in the activities:

Paul

Many thanks for a fun and successful day at Stone with Woodford Primary School.  The children certainly seemed to enjoy themselves.

My own two children came home with lots of riddles and examples to test me with.  We play a lot of board/card games at home, but they still enjoyed being challenged by someone else at school.

Many thanks.  We’ll keep your details on file for future use.

Regards

I was also invited to work with a Learning Network in the Cotswolds in December 2005.  Here is an e-mail I received soon after visiting a wonderful little school from this beautiful part of the country:

Dear Paul

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for such a stimulating morning yesterday. It was a real pleasure to see the children having so much fun and being so engaged in some really challenging Maths activities. It reminded me of the way we used to teach, as opposed to the more formal and highly structured methods we have been using in recent years.

I hope we can arrange to have your Maths Roadshow again in the future.

Regards

Kate Holmes, Headteacher, Southrop Primary School, Gloucestershire  

Another Learning Network I closely worked with was based on the Kent coast.  I liaised closely with one of the Headteachers, who then sent this letter to me (plus numerous letters from the children) following my visits in June 2006.  The theme behind these particular visits was problem-solving activities for Year 4 girls (and boys).  The network utilised activities involving the children’s character, Tracy Beaker:

Dear Paul

Thank you so very much for leading maths workshops in our network of schools this week.  The feedback was very positive - they really enjoyed the fun that you brought to the subject, especially your jokes!

The challenge with the cube really got them thinking and the problem-solving which involved them working in teams was a highlight.  They definitely were learning through play!

Thank you once again.

Yours sincerely

I paid a return visit, again as part of a Learning Network, to a school in Flitwick that I first visited in 2002.  The Year 3 teacher I worked with at the time was still there during my July 2006 visit.  Four years ago, she very kindly spent time with the children getting them to write ‘thank you’ letters, one of which is actually printed on my leaflet.  This was again repeated this year, so I really appreciate the time and effort put in by everyone concerned.  These are her words:

Dear Paul

I would like to thank you once again for returning to Kingsmoor and sharing the variety of games with the children in Year 3, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

It was great to see their enthusiasm, interactive and co-operative skills during each of the activities and the children have been talking all week about their favourite Numeracy lesson!

Wishing you continued success with the Maths Roadshow.

Kind Regards

Paula Mitchell, Year 3 Teacher, Kingsmoor Lower School, Flitwick, Kent

In October 2006, I delivered a Teacher Workshop at Wylfa Power Station on Anglesey.  A group of 18 teachers from all over the island attended and saw a wide range of games.  My contact at Careers Wales, who organised the session, sent me this letter following the workshop:

Dear Paul

It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of Careers Wales and the Primary School staff who attended the placement, in sending a few words of appreciation to you for arranging the day and for leading the activities.

The response has been very favourable, and all the participants felt that the day had been worthwhile, as part of their Continuous Professional Development.

Once again, I hope that you also benefited from the experience, and that we can work together again in the future.

Yours faithfully

 Just before Christmas 2006, I spent a morning with a small group of children from three Wrexham secondary schools, together with a few teachers from those schools.  One of the teachers in particular bought some of the games for use at home and also some for her Maths Department at school.  Soon after, I received the following letter:

Hi Paul

Thanks for your letter, please find your cheque enclosed.  I’m giving my daughter her games for Christmas so I will certainly let you know how they’ve gone down after Christmas.  In school, they are a hit.  I’ve never seen some of my classes think so much!  Thank you!!

I meant every word of what I said too.  It was the most useful and interesting course - directly relevant to what goes on in the classroom - that I have been on in 12 years.  I can’t wait to see what you’ve got next year.

Anyway, I’ll keep in touch and thank you once again.

Carole Williams, Ysgol Clywedog (Maths Dept.), Wrexham

In March 2007, Careers Wales booked me to work at Daniel James School as part of a unique activity day for Year 10 pupils.  I was one of five presenters who visited the school.  Others included a guy from the Army giving a talk and a chef teaching the children to make Smoothies:

Dear Mr Godding

I would like to thank you for taking the time to attend our Year 10 work experience week in March.

Your attendance has helped make the week a great success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

Once again, thank you for giving up your valuable time.

Yours sincerely

E Barnes-Watson, Head of Year 10, Daniel James Community School, Swansea

Another Swansea school made big investments in the maths games following my visit.  I feel it’s a great move, and completely agrees with my philosophy, that they also see it as a way to enthuse the children and thus enable them to enjoy maths in a different way:

Dear Paul

I would like to express my appreciation and admiration for your superb presentation to our teachers and pupils here at St Joseph’s Cathedral School.

It was a real pleasure to hear words of praise, excitement and great education experiences and, in my case, great value for our students.

In the future, we trust that you will return and work with our teaching assistants to be part of our on-going drive to improve Maths standards at St Joseph’s.

Yours sincerely

PJ Richards, Headteacher, St Joseph’s Cathedral School, Swansea

The final example is a letter I received from the Maths Co-ordinator of the same school, a short while after receiving the above letter from the Head:

Dear Paul

A few brief words to express my appreciation for visiting our school recently to introduce such a variety of maths games.

The feedback I have received from both pupils and staff has been extremely positive and I now fully intend that the maths games purchased by the school following your visit will form an integral part of our day-to-day maths experience.  An aspect of feedback to date has been that our pupils had not realised maths could be so much fun!!

As we disseminate these maths games into our daily lessons, it may well be that I would be in a position to invite you to return to St Joseph’s to conduct a similar day, either with additional teachers or perhaps with our growing band of Teaching Assistants who work so diligently to support maths within the school.

Once again, many thanks for all your help and support.

Regards

Neil Courtney, Maths Co-ordinator, St Joseph’s Cathedral School, Swansea

Many thanks to all those who have taken trouble to contact me.  It is very flattering and much appreciated when I receive such positive feedback