Dr Claire - MathsPositive

😅 If reflections, rotations and enlargements all blur into one... this class is for you!

Tomorrow I'm running a FREE online GCSE / IGCSE maths class where we'll explore rotations, enlargement, congruence and similarity 🎉

The class is relaxed, friendly and particularly popular with learners who are autistic, ADHD, anxious about maths or just need concepts explained clearly and to work at a pace that makes sense for them.

Summer classes are usually a little quieter too, making it a lovely opportunity to ask questions, build confidence and head into September feeling more prepared 🙌🏻

🌈 Know a young person who might benefit? Feel free to tag a parent or share this post.

Which transformation do you think catches learners out the most: reflection, rotation, translation or enlargement? 😊

🌱 How much of your life have you spent trying to take up less space?

Rhiannon Cooper's TEDxWolverhampton talk has just been released, and I'd really recommend giving it a watch.

I suspect a lot of late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD people will relate. I've spent a lot of my life trying to make myself smaller. Quieter and less inconvenient. Less likely to take up space. Because making myself smaller often felt safer than taking up space.

And I still feel it sometimes. It's a work in progress.

I think that's part of why the way I teach matters so much to me. I want my learners to know they don't have to hide who they are, apologise for how they think or make themselves smaller to belong in my classes.

We all deserve spaces where we can be ourselves, just as we are.

And to paraphrase Rhiannon's important message, we don't have to make ourselves smaller to be worthy - we already are 🌈

Have you ever felt like you needed to make yourself smaller to fit in?

You don’t need to be smaller to be worthy | Rhiannon Cooper | TEDxWolverhampton In her talk, You Don’t Need to Be Smaller to Be Worthy, Rhiannon Co...

🧠 Yesterday's maths class didn't start with a calculation 🎉

It started with a question...

Can two people make completely different budgets and both be "right"?

The range of ideas and reasoning was fantastic!

We discussed the difference between needs and wants, fixed and variable costs, and how budgeting isn't really about spending as little as possible. It's about making choices that fit your own situation and what's important to you 🙌🏻

I loved the realisation that two people can have exactly the same amount of money and create completely different budgets... and both can make perfect sense. We also discovered that one person's want can be another person's need.

Moments like that are exactly why I wanted to create these classes 🌻

Maths doesn't just live in worksheets. It's a tool we can use to make sense of the world around us and make decisions every day.

📅 Next Monday we'll be learning about bank accounts and ways to pay.

We'll be exploring questions like:

💷 How do you know how much money you really have?

💷 Can you spend money you don't actually have?

➕➖ Why are positive and negative numbers so useful when managing money?

We'll use real-life examples to interpret bank statements, check balances and build confidence with the maths behind everyday banking.

If this sounds like the sort of maths your learner would enjoy, I'd love to welcome them to a future session.

Feel free to comment below or send me a message if you'd like to know more 😊🌈

What if maths didn't have to be a daily battle? 🌈

That's exactly what came to mind when a parent told me their child had gone from being a very reluctant learner to declaring that maths is now their favourite subject 🤩🎉

Many learners arrive feeling anxious, reluctant or convinced they're "not maths people". They don't need more pressure. They need a learning environment where they feel safe to ask questions, make mistakes and build confidence at their own pace.

Seeing that confidence grow is one of my favourite parts of what I do!

If you're looking for calm, neuro-affirming online maths classes for an autistic, ADHD or otherwise neurodivergent learner (or any child who needs a confidence boost), swipe to see next week's timetable 🌻

I'd love to answer any questions in the comments or by message 😊

🛒 Can you spot a bad bargain? 👀

Last Monday in Money Matters, we explored the question:

Can spending more ever save you money? 💷

Sometimes the answer is yes!

But sometimes those “special offers” aren’t quite as special as they seem… 😆

As an optional between-session challenge, I suggested that learners keep an eye out next time they’re shopping (in a supermarket or online) for:

⭐ A product where spending more really does save them money
⭐ A product where the bigger pack actually doesn’t work out cheaper
⭐ A “special offer” that looks like a bargain… but isn’t!

If you spot one, I’d love to see it! 📸

Share a photo in the comments (or send me a message) — you could let me know why you think it’s a good or bad deal too, if you like!

And in tomorrow's class we'll focus on budgeting. Where does all the money go?! 😅

Have you ever found a bargain that wasn’t really a bargain? Or a deal that genuinely saved you money? 👀

Algebra anyone!? 🌻

I've just realised my 11:15am Algebra class is going to be a lovely small group... which is actually brilliant if you learn best in a, quiet, calm and supportive space! 😊

We'll be starting from the beginning, so it's perfect if you'd like to learn or review algebra and build your confidence.

🌻 6 live classes
📚 Materials included
🎲 Maths games at the end
💷 Just £30

Pop me a message if you'd like to join us! 😊🎉

One thing I've realised since learning more about my own neurodivergence is that I don't always experience excitement in the way people might expect.

These beautiful gifts and card arrived earlier this week, and they're still waiting to be opened.

Not because I don't appreciate them - I really do! I think I just like to save good things until I have the mental space to really enjoy them.

I'm so grateful to the student who sent them 🌻

Does anyone else do this or is it just me?! 😆😅

Life got in the way of shouting about these enough... but I'm super excited because...

☀️ Higher GCSE Summer Maths starts today! ☀️

I've been full of germs over the last week, so I haven't managed to share these classes as much as I'd planned! 🤧

If you're still looking for some maths support over the summer, it's not too late to join us 😊🎉

We'll be covering some of the trickier Higher GCSE & Edexcel IGCSE (Spec A) topics in a small, supportive group, including:

📚 Surds
📚 Quadratic formula
📚 Completing the square
📐 Sine rule
📐 Cosine rule
📊 Histograms & cumulative frequency graphs

These classes are ideal for learners who are:
🌻 Already studying Higher Tier and want to build confidence
🌻 Secure with Foundation maths and ready for a challenge
🌻 Moving on to Higher Tier in September and would like a head start

✨ Small groups (maximum 6 learners)
✨ Neuro-affirming and anxiety-aware teaching
✨ Plenty of opportunities to ask questions
✨ Flexible ways to take part, with no pressure to speak if you don't want to

💷 £120 for the full course or £25 per individual class.
If you're interested in joining any of the sessions, just comment below or send me a message. I'd be happy to send you some more information 😊🌻