Education Leaders of the Future Encouraging excellence in science and mathematics

through student volunteer programmes

Julia Hawkins

Deputy Director, Millennium Mathematics Project

University of Cambridge

Programme set up as collaboration between Faculties of Mathematics and

Education at the University of Cambridge

The Millennium Mathematics Project

What is the Millennium Mathematics Project?

• Online programmes supporting mathematics education for ages 3 to 19

• Teacher professional development

• Visits to schools to run creative mathematics workshops for pupils

• National and international impact

‣ Online: 4 million users per year; 20 million pageviews

‣ Face to face: 35,000 school children per year; 5,000 teachers

Aim to promote creative approach to mathematics education;

problem solving skills; mathematical understanding; confidence; aspiration; enjoyment

• Different aspects of donation for

education

‣ Corporate philanthropy -

funding educational

programmes

- Social Return on

Investment (SROI)

‣ Individual volunteering

Donation for

education

• Different aspects of donation for

education

‣ Corporate philanthropy -

funding educational

programmes

‣ Individual volunteering

- online: AskNRICH

- face to face: STIMULUS

Donation for

education

Case study: STIMULUS programme

• Creates placements for volunteer Cambridge University students in local

schools

• Volunteers help with mathematics, science, technology classes

- placements in primary / elementary schools (pupils aged 5 -11) and

secondary / high schools (pupils aged 11 - 18)

- work under the direction of the class teacher

• 250 placements each year

• 4,000 hours of student volunteer time donated to schools each year

STIMULUS volunteers act as teaching assistants in the classroom: they

might help individual pupils, or lead an activity with a small group.

For schools, STIMULUS volunteers provide useful extra help, specialist subject knowledge support and

positive role models.

Benefits for

volunteers

• Develops transferable

leadership, communication and

interpersonal skills

- 80% of volunteers felt

STIMULUS placement had

made them more confident

- 74% felt that STIMULUS

placement had improved

their communication skills

- 57% felt they were now

better at taking the

initiative

• Transferable skills and personal development.

• Developing own subject knowledge through process of teaching

“I have learned so many transferable skills from working alongside a

teacher and leading a small group of children by myself too.”

“I really love taking part in the STIMULUS scheme. It is such a rewarding

experience - I think I’m learning more than the class is when I’m helping out!”

“The questions eight year olds come up with about how temperature works

really make you think about your understanding of the physical world.”

Experiences of STIMULUS volunteers

• Enjoyment and reward, sense of social purpose:

“I’ve had a wonderful time helping to teach Science to the Year 1 students.

My STIMULUS placement is something I look forward to attending every week!”

“Fantastic scheme - it’s so rewarding to see a smile on a child’s face when

they understand something just that bit better after you’ve explained it to

them.”

“I really enjoyed my placement ... the pupils were great to work with and it

was really satisfying to help them with their maths questions. It was a great

experience which I would strongly recommend.”

“A great and enjoyable way to give something back to my local community.”

Experiences of STIMULUS volunteers

• Opportunity to get ‘taster’ of what teaching might offer as career

• 56% of STIMULUS volunteers report they are more likely to teach

“I thoroughly enjoyed my placement and it was instrumental in my decision

to apply for Initial Teacher Training this year.”

“Absolutely fantastic scheme... Fun, rewarding, and has helped me find out

what teaching might be like as a career.”

“I enjoyed my STIMULUS placements so much I have decided to apply for

a PGCE [teacher training course] when I finish my PhD!”

Experiences of STIMULUS volunteers

Programme

operation

• Part-time salaried co-ordinator

• Training for student volunteers

• Student volunteer

representatives involved in

recruitment

• Teachers and volunteers

represented on planning group

• Running cost less than £0.50

per pupil contact hour

Lessons learned

• Planning

• Commitment

• Training

• Communication

STIMULUS

stimulus.ucam.org

Millennium Mathematics Project

mmp.maths.org