About Maths Week

Dr Gillian Frankcom-Burgess - President NZAMT

Gillian has been involved in Mathematics Education since 1982. She has taught in Secondary and primary classrooms, in New Zealand and in London prior to moving here in 1992. She is President of NZAMT and an executive member of the AMA. Gillian writes questions with others for AMA Mathex Competitions and writes for NZAMT on occasion. She moved into Teacher Education Mathematics in 2004 when she joined ACE which later that year became the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland. Gillian gained first her masters and then a PhD in 2016, the subject for both was Maths Anxiety. This is very close to her heart and her mission in life is to help find better and more interesting ways to teach mathematics, including the use of mathematical investigations.

Dr Robin Averill

Robin is an experienced secondary school teacher who has taught in Christchurch and Wellington, has been an active member of NZAMT and the Canterbury Mathematics Association, and is a life member of the Wellington Mathematics Association. Robin has contributed to primary and secondary mathematics and statistics initial teacher education and teacher professional development over many years. She has written mathematics teaching resources and has edited several books that have a particular focus on mathematics teaching and learning suitable for Aotearoa New Zealand. Robin has a passion for all learners enjoying confidence and capability in mathematics and seeing the relevance and usefulness of mathematics for their own and others’ lives. With colleagues, Robin has also written research publications that describe ways of teaching that align with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and with Pasifika values.

Dr Pip Arnold

Pip has been involved in mathematics and statistics education for over 35 years. She has been a head of department, secondary mathematics facilitator and managed the primary mathematics contract. Currently, Pip supports mathematics and statistics teachers from years 1 - 13 through PLD, curriculum and resource development and sharing her interest in statistics education and cross-curricular learning. Pip is a long-standing member of the New Zealand Statistical Association education committee, a member of the Auckland Mathematical Association executive and on the executive of the International Association for Statistical Education. Pip recently published a resource book for teachers in years 1-11 on Statistical Investigations | Te Tūhuratanga Tauanga.

Mandy Attard

Mandy holds a BA (Hons) Mathematics and Economics and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education with a focus on teaching maths from Year 7 through to Year 13. She started her teaching career in the UK teaching the full secondary age range. After a temporary career change working in IT, she has worked with gifted and talented students in mathematics for more than 15 years now, as well as students who find mathematics more challenging. Currently, she works part time at both Bucklands Beach Intermediate and Pigeon Mountain School. At both schools she supports STEM activities, and expects to involve over one thousand students in the EPro8 Challenge in 2024. With the assistance of her son, she manages ludi.nz, which provides an online environment to accelerate the learning of basic facts. Mandy was the recipient of a Jim Campbell Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017.

Shane Barr

Shane has been working with gifted and talented students and extending their learning in mathematics for more than 16 years. He is also experienced at helping struggling mathematicians at Years 7 and 8. Shane’s commitment to giving back to the mathematics community is shown through being as a member of the Canterbury Mathematical Association’s (CMA) executive for several years. His involvement with the CMA has led to his organising and leading professional development for teachers in Years 7 - 10, and contributing to the organisation of the annual Cantamath competition. Shane's contribution to the NZ maths community was recognised with the presentation of a Jim Campbell Award in 2022. After having taught at Cobham Intermediate School for several years, he is now broadening his understanding of mathematics teaching at a secondary level while teaching at A. B. Paterson College in Queensland, Australia.

Tony Davidson

Tony taught for several years, many of them spent as an HOD. In 1989, he held a teaching fellowship at Canterbury University (his alma mater). He spent nine years working at NZQA as an assessment officer, primarily in the tertiary sector. Since 2004, he has worked on contract for various organisations, gradually winding down in recent years; a number of those contracts have been in various roles associated with NCEA. He has been a national mathematics/statistics examiner in both the secondary and tertiary sectors. In1991, he was an inaugural recipient of a Jim Campbell award for Excellence in Teaching, and he is a life member of the Canterbury Mathematical Association.

Kim Madden

Kim is a Mathematics Mentor working for Massey University. Her role is to provide research-led professional development and in-class support to teachers across the country.

She has been teaching in the Primary sector for over 20 years, having small breaks to learn and teach in the Netherlands. She has qualifications in Accelerating Learning in Mathematics, Maths Support Teacher and is currently completing her Master in Education (Mathematics) . Kim was a primary school mathematics specialist teacher and an across-school leader for her local Kāhui Ako.

She is a writer of the Mathematics and Statistics curriculum refresh, the common practice model, and was a panellist for the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy. Kim is also a recipient of the Jim Campbell award for Excellence in Teaching.

Alan Parris

Alan was the instigator of Maths Week in 1998. It was his idea, he became the driving force, and wrote Maths Week resources in the early years. In 2017, he was awarded MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) for services to mathematical education. Alan is a former president and a life member of the New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers.

Alan passed away in 2018.

Bill Ellwood

Bill wrote much of the material for Maths Week each year between 2006 and 2019. He co-authored several mathematics textbooks, and for several years was the writer and editor of the Maths Digest. Bill is a former president and a life member of the New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers.

Bill passed away in 2021.

The Design Company

The Design Company is a Christchurch based web site development & graphic design company proud to be supporting Mathsweek.

The work in design and management of the Mathsweek site is outstanding and much appreciated.

Maths Week/Wiki Pāngarau 2025

Monday 11 August – Friday 15 August