Mathematics

Welcome

At Dr. G. W. Williams Secondary School, mathematics plays an important role in helping students develop logical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. In a world that is constantly changing, we want our students to see mathematics as a tool for understanding and engaging with the world around them.

Our department focuses on helping students build confidence in math through collaboration, discussion, and exploration. We value thinking and reasoning over memorization, and we encourage students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them.

Our Math Teachers

Our Approach

We believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in their learning. Many of our classes use the Thinking Classroom model, where students work in small groups on vertical whiteboards to share their ideas and reasoning. This approach promotes discussion, creativity, and deeper understanding.

Mathematics connects naturally to many other fields — science, business, technology, art, and beyond. Our goal is to help students see those connections and appreciate how math is used in everyday life.

Roles and Responsibilities in Mathematics Programs

Success in mathematics starts with understanding the roles and responsibilities of students, parents and teachers.

Students

Success in mathematics begins with effort, curiosity, and persistence. Students who make the effort required and who apply themselves will soon discover that there is a direct relationship between this effort and their achievement, and will therefore be more motivated to work. There will be some students, however, who will find it more difficult to take responsibility for their learning because of special challenges they face. For these students, the attention, patience, and encouragement of teachers and family can be extremely important factors for success. However, taking responsibility for one’s progress and learning is an important part of education for all students, regardless of their circumstances.

Students are encouraged to:

• Take an active role in their learning by asking questions and participating in discussions
• Complete assigned work regularly and seek clarification when needed
• Learn from mistakes and see challenges as opportunities to grow
• Apply mathematical thinking beyond the classroom, in real-world and cross-curricular contexts

Teachers

Teachers play a key role in helping students develop a solid understanding of mathematics and a positive attitude toward learning. They strive to create engaging and supportive environments where all students feel capable, valued, and respected.

Our teachers are committed to meeting the individual needs of each student. They use a range of strategies to ensure every learner has opportunities to succeed. Teachers continually reflect on their practice and collaborate as a team to share ideas and improve student learning experiences.

Teachers in the Mathematics Department:

• Design lessons that promote reasoning, creativity, and communication
• Use a variety of teaching and assessment strategies to meet diverse learning needs
• Provide meaningful feedback to help students grow and build confidence
• Encourage students to make connections between concepts and real-world situations

Parents

Parents have an important role to play in supporting student learning. Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents or guardians are involved in their education. By showing interest and encouragement at home, families can make a significant difference in how students view math and approach challenges. Even small, consistent conversations about learning can help students stay motivated and engaged. Knowledge of the expectations in the math courses helps parents to interpret teachers’ comments on student progress and to work with them to improve student learning.

These are a few examples of effective ways to support student learning:

• Encourage a positive attitude toward math and problem solving
• Ask questions about what their child is learning
• Reinforce persistence and celebrate effort, not just results
• Encourage students to complete their homework
• Attend parent-teacher interviews
• Check progress regularly on TeachAssist and communicate with teachers when needed

Extra Help

At times, a student may feel like they do not fully understand a lesson or mathematical concept.  The Math Department offers extra help opportunities for students to improve their understanding.

Teachers

Assessments for learning are regularly used in math classes so both students and teachers are aware of their progress towards the learning goals.  However, often a student is aware of misunderstandings before the teacher.  If a student is having difficulty understanding the lesson, asking the teacher for help allows the teacher to modify their lesson to address the issue.  Asking the teacher for help in a lesson is the most effective way to improve student understanding.

The Math Department also offers other extra support opportunities:

Math Help Room

Students can drop in for extra help on Wednesdays during Periods 3 and 4.
Senior math students are available to review lessons, answer questions, and provide practice opportunities.

Peer Tutoring Program

Students volunteer to tutor peers one-on-one. Tutors earn volunteer hours and gain valuable leadership experience. For more details, students can reach out to their Math teacher, the Math Department Office in room 210, or the Student Service Office in room 107.

Student Services

The Student Services Department also offers extra help with Mathematics outside of regular classroom hours.  For more details, a student can reach out to the Student Services Department Office in room 107.

Online Resources

These resources are great for reviewing lessons, getting extra practice, or catching up on topics covered in class.

TVO Mathify: A free online service that offers one-on-one tutoring with a certified teacher. 

JensenMath: Ontario-focused lessons, notes, and practice tests designed for Grades 9–12. Excellent for review and EQAO preparation.

Khan Academy:  A free online education platform with lessons, videos and quizzes. 

Enrichment & Extension

Math Department offers opportunities for students who want to go beyond the classroom, explore challenging problems, or prepare for contests and postsecondary studies:

Math Club

The Math Club meets Mondays after school. Students explore challenging problems, prepare for contests, and work on topics of personal interest. All are welcome. 

Math Contests

Many students wish to challenge themselves by writing math contests and seeing how they compare to other students in the world.  Registration for the contests Dr. G. W. Williams participates in is available on School Cash Online.

Registration deadlines for contests are found on school cash online.

• Canadian Open Math Challenge. Open to all students.  
• Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests.  Open to all students.
• Pascal, Cayley, and Fermat Mathematics Competitions.  Open to students in Grade 9, Grade 10, and Grade 11 respectively.
• Euclid Mathematics Contest.  Open to students in Grade 12. 

Online Resources

CEMC: University of Waterloo’s official math resource hub with contests, problem sets, and course materials for enrichment

NRICH Canada: Engaging problem-solving tasks designed to deepen mathematical thinking

The Math Courses at Dr. G. W. Williams S.S.