MathsBites

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MathsBites Support for you like never before.

12/10/2026

Most parents head straight to the shortcut and I understand why. We want maths to feel easier for our kids.

To be clear: I’m not anti-shortcut. I’m anti-shortcut-too-soon.

When kids understand why a method works, a shortcut becomes a helpful tool.

When they don’t, it becomes another thing they have to remember…

… and memorisation is fragile.

Understanding creates flexibility, confidence and problem-solving skills.

That’s why we build it first.

10/10/2026

I know you know the 2, 4 and 8 times tables... but do you know the double, double, double strategy, and why it matters for your child?

Children don’t need to learn every multiplication fact from scratch.

When they understand doubling, they can use what they already know to work out new facts.

For example:
4 × 6 is double 6, then double it again.
8 × 6 is double 6, double it, then double it again.

💡This helps children see the relationships between numbers rather than relying on memory alone.

❌Without this understanding, times tables can feel like a long list of facts to remember.

✅With it, children start to see patterns they can use to work things out for themselves.

⭐️This builds confidence, flexibility, and number sense, while reducing the pressure of having to remember every fact instantly.

It’s one you might not know, but it’s one that changes everything at home.

🩷If you want more parent-friendly strategies like this, that’s exactly what MathsBites is built for.

💙Helping you help them.

I often get asked whether MathsBites is tutoring.It’s not.After more than 30 years in the classroom, I saw the same chal...
08/10/2026

I often get asked whether MathsBites is tutoring.
It’s not.

After more than 30 years in the classroom, I saw the same challenge again and again. Parents wanted to help, but weren’t always sure of the language, methods or expectations their children were bringing home from school.

MathsBites was created to bridge that gap.

Through short videos, parent-friendly explanations and practical support, MathsBites helps parents understand what their child is learning and how to support that learning with confidence.

It doesn’t replace school.

It doesn’t replace teachers.

And it certainly doesn’t expect parents to become maths experts.

It simply gives families the knowledge, language and confidence to have better maths conversations at home.

Because when parents understand what’s being taught, children benefit.

06/10/2026

The moments we remember as adults are rarely the worksheets.They’re the people who made us feel capable.

Children are no different.

Every learning interaction sends a message.

Some messages build confidence.Some messages build doubt.

The good news? Small shifts in the way we respond can have a big impact on how children see themselves as learners.

Because confidence isn’t built in one big moment.
It’s built in hundreds of small ones.

And that’s worth remembering.

The thing that still surprises, upsets and motivates me most is the child who has quietly decided that maths isn’t for t...
04/10/2026

The thing that still surprises, upsets and motivates me most is the child who has quietly decided that maths isn’t for them.

They’ve stopped believing they can.

Over the years, l’ve taught countless children who were capable of succeeding in maths, but many didn’t think they were.

Not because they couldn’t do it, but because somewhere along the way they started measuring themselves against the quickest child, the child with all the answers, or the child who never seemed to get stuck.

The maths wasn’t always the problem.

Confidence was.

That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about supporting parents to help their children build strong foundations and positive mathematical beliefs before those doubts take hold.

Because when kids believe they can learn, they’re much more willing to try … and keep trying.

And that’s where the real growth happens.

Has your child ever felt this way about maths?

02/10/2026

Shortcuts aren’t the problem. Timing is.

Most parents reach for a shortcut because they’re trying to help.

The work gets done. The frustration eases. Everyone moves on.

But if a shortcut arrives before understanding, it can accidentally stop the very learning we’re trying to build.

Understanding gives children something much more valuable than a trick.

📌It gives them flexibility.
📌The confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems.
📌The ability to explain their thinking.
📌A way forward when they get stuck.

The goal isn’t faster answers. It’s stronger thinking.

Because once understanding is there, shortcuts become powerful.

Before that, they often become a substitute for thinking.

Curious about how MathsBites helps families build understanding before shortcuts? Use the link in bio to learn more.

02/10/2026

Oh my goodness - numbers galore in the 2026 season, but the big one - 80 - 80 minutes left.

From something as simple as the numbers on their backs to:
❤️Points for/against and the difference
💙Total points for the season
❤️Position on the ladder
💙Discussions about inside or outside the 8
❤️Points scored each game
💙Metres run
❤️Tackles made (and a few that weren’t)…
The list goes on….

But the two biggest:
❤️The chance of woodenspooners making it this far - ‘cause everyone had us as back-to-back spooners this season
💙We got here with heart and 12 men.

You can’t measure the size of the hearts of the Newcastle Knights.

It’s our town. It’s our time. Go Knights!

30/09/2026

Maybe mistakes aren’t the problem we initially think they are.

When a child gets a maths question wrong, our instinct is often to fix it immediately.

But mistakes tell us something important.

They show us:
📌What a child understands
📌What they’re confused about
📌What’s missing or needed next

After 30+ years teaching, I’ve learned that mistakes are some of the most valuable information we receive.

Before correcting, get curious.

You might learn more than you expected.

28/09/2026

I know you know skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s... but do you know why it matters for your child?

Skip counting is about so much more than saying numbers in order.

When children count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, they re learning to recognise patterns, see number relationships, and think in groups instead of ones.

These are the same ideas that sit behind so much ch to f the maths they will encounter … but in particular, will help enormously with their multiplication facts.

Without this understanding, skip counting can feel like a sequence to memorise.

With it, children start to see the patterns that make maths easier.

This is one of those skills that seems simple on the surface, but it builds the foundation for so much of the maths that comes later.

It’s one you might not know, but it’s one that changes everything at home.

If you want more parent-friendly strategies like this, that’s exactly what MathsBites is built for.

MathsBites- Helping you help them.

25/09/2026

To be clear, this isn’t about teachers not doing enough, because they absolutely have - they’ve taught the curriculum, worked hard to build understanding, and done everything they can within the time they have.

What I’ve noticed over 30+ years in classrooms is that students rarely struggle in Year 7 because they can’t learn new maths concepts.

They struggle when they don’t feel confident with the foundations.

The good news?

They’re still learning. They’re still growing. They’re still building those foundations throughout Term 4,
which makes right now the perfect time to support them.

Strong foundations don’t guarantee success, but they make everything easier.

The goal is helping your child walk into Year 7 thinking:
“I can do this.”

That’s a powerful place to start.

Get Highschool Ready was designed to strengthen confidence. reinforce key Year 6 concepts, and help students make the transition to Year 7 feeling capable, prepared, and ready for what’s next.

Check it out using the link in my bio.

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Newcastle, NSW

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