Mixed reaction to first exams of new syllabus

Some teachers praised papers, but one felt higher level will make State 'a laughing stock,' writes LOUISE HOLDEN

THE FIRST exams of the new Project Maths syllabus divided opinion today, with comments ranging from “superb” to “insulting”.

Oliver Murphy, maths teacher and principal of Castleknock College, described the papers as “fantastic”. “These papers were challenging and tested the intelligence of the students,” he said.

“Questions on both the higher and ordinary level papers were put into context, as they should be, and required students to interpret what they were reading, unlike the old syllabus, where students can carry out mathematical functions without knowing what they are doing,” he said.

Castleknock College is one of 24 schools involved in the pilot phase of Project Maths.

About 1,800 students took yesterday’s paper, with about 50 per cent taking to paper at higher level.

John Brennan, a maths teacher in the Institute of Education and a prominent critic of the new maths syllabus, said that the higher level paper would make Ireland “the laughing stock of the world.”

“Many of the questions on this paper were Junior Cert higher level,” he said. “Question 3 asked students to construct the incircle of a triangle. The same questions appeared on the Junior Certificate higher paper in 2009. That’s an insult to higher level students.”

Tom Lowry of Moate Community School, another Project Maths participant, said that the higher paper was fair, and applauded its relevance to everyday maths applications.

“The trigonometry question concerned the construction of a roof. It was practical and challenging.”

“This exam would not have suited a student that sat down and learned all the questions off by heart.”

Retired teacher Brendan Guildea described the higher paper as “a work in progress”.

“It’s hard to compare the Project Maths paper and the traditional paper,” he said. “Some of the questions on the higher paper were Junior Cert level. Some were harder though, and students had no choice, unlike on the traditional paper.”

The ordinary level paper was praised in the participating Project Maths schools for its relevance to real-life situations.

A question on the price of insurance for men and women, based on 2007 figures, came in for particular praise.

“This was a brilliant example of maths in action,” said Oliver Murphy.

Others complained that at 20 pages, the paper was too long.