National Teachers’ Conference

Mathematics workshops with Svantje Mertens

This workshop will focus on looking at meeting the learning needs of diverse learners in our mathematics primary classrooms in Steiner schools. This will include the needs of students who find learning mathematics significantly challenging, and it will also include students who have great strengths in mathematics and are craving more in this area. The workshop will be a place where I look forward to share findings from my research in this area, and it will also be a space where this topic will be explored and discussed with practical examples shared.

Svantje Mertens attended a Steiner primary school in Northern NSW and the local secondary school. While travelling overseas, Svantje studied Steiner education and teaching. Her first teaching position was in Ireland, at a very small country Steiner school. Since returning to Australia she has held the role of class teacher at Ballarat Steiner School and has been involved with the school management in different roles. While teaching, Svantje has always striven to continue her own development and learning as a teacher, and alongside teaching, has studied Extra Lesson, a Masters in Educational Research, and is now undertaking a PhD in educational research at Charles Sturt University.