Teachers ’ Views on the Impact of the Secondary Numeracy Project on the Teaching of Year 11 Classes

In 2007, the Secondary Numeracy Project operated in some secondary schools for the third year. This study investigates whether the professional development has had an effect on teacher practice in year 11 mathematics classes and on student achievement. The study fi nds that the impact of the project on teacher practice varies, with those teachers who are teaching year 11 mathematics classes that focus on NCEA unit standards tending to report greater changes in practice than their colleagues who are teaching year 11 classes focusing on NCEA achievement standards. Background The Secondary Numeracy Project (SNP), which was formally introduced into 42 secondary schools in 2005, offered professional development to teachers of year 9 mathematics classes. (For further background, see Harvey, this volume.) These teachers received continued support in 2006 to consolidate their teaching of year 9 students and to extend this practice to their teaching of year 10 students. In 2007, these teachers received further support to consolidate their development of mathematics pedagogy. An extended time frame is usually a requirement for effective teacher professional development (Timperley, Wilson, Barrar, & Fung, 2007). The SNP requires extensive involvement from teacher