Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Conceptual Clarity: A Conversation with Pete Mattock
Jun 14, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Pete Mattock, author of Visible Maths and a seasoned educator, shares his insights on conceptual understanding in mathematics. He discusses the importance of fostering a strong foundation through logical consistency, highlighting the nuances of teaching fractions and integers. Pete emphasizes coherence in mathematical structures, illustrating how this enhances comprehension. The discussion also explores the significance of evolving educational materials, drawing from international perspectives, particularly Shanghai, to improve pedagogy.
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Pete's Teaching Journey
- Pete Mattock shared his journey from secondary maths teacher to national education lead at Twinkl.
- He reflected on how his early teaching was unreflective, evolving to a deep understanding of conceptual maths.
Defining Conceptual Understanding
- Conceptual understanding means recognizing and exploiting deep mathematical structures.
- It wraps around declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge, connecting and enabling them.
Maths Structure Across Contexts
- Maths concepts have the same underlying abstract structures across different contexts.
- Recognizing these hidden structures helps learners transfer knowledge between various topics easily.