Lighthouse Maths coach reflection: Anthea Borg
Anthea Borg is a Year 2 teacher at Inglewood Primary School. In 2024 Anthea took part in Scitech’s Lighthouse Maths program, which focuses on boosting teachers’ skills and confidence in using problem-solving and reasoning techniques to teach maths.
After completing the 12-month professional learning program, Anthea went on to become a Lighthouse Maths coach, helping other teachers implement the Lighthouse Maths strategies into their teaching.
“Through my work with a number of teachers across various schools, a consistent theme has emerged – Lighthouse Maths is having a significant impact on student learning,” said Anthea.
“Teachers have reported higher levels of engagement in mathematics lessons, increased perseverance – not just in mathematics but across all learning areas – and stronger conceptual understanding, particularly in understanding why mathematical processes work and how to apply them.
“One memorable comment that stood out to me came from a teacher who said, ‘I was surprised one of my very capable mathematics student’s couldn’t solve the problem, but a student working at the expected level was able to collaborate with others and work out how to solve it systematically and efficiently.’
“This moment highlighted the power of problem-solving, collaboration, and thinking strategies over simply relying on prior knowledge or speed.”
Anthea’s involvement in Lighthouse Maths has deepened her knowledge and understanding of how to use problem-solving to enhance mathematical thinking.
“It has reinforced the value of collaborative learning and the importance of asking purposeful, focused questions that prompt students to explain their reasoning clearly,” she said.
“The program has highlighted the importance of creating a safe space for mistake-making, where students are encouraged to take risks, learn from errors, and solve problems together.
“This approach has enriched my teaching practice and strengthened student engagement and mathematical confidence. “
In her own classroom, Anthea uses the Lighthouse Maths lesson structure to run fortnightly problem-solving sessions across all mathematics strands.
“These tasks are designed to challenge students’ thinking and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts,” Anthea said.
“This aligns closely with the Department of Education’s Teaching for Impact Strategy which emphasises the importance of students using problem solving and inquiry to develop their capacity as collaborative, critical, creative, and innovative thinkers.
“Through this inquiry-based and problem-solving approach, I have seen clear development in my students’ ability to reason, think critically, work collaboratively, and engage creatively with mathematical challenges.”
Lighthouse Maths Coaches Graham Rees, Gelsa Dagostino, Aoife Cooksley, Anthea Borg
With the support of Chevron Australia, the 12-month Lighthouse Maths program is provided free to a limited number of schools in the Perth metro region.
To learn more about the program and submit an Expression of Interest to take part in 2026, visit the Lighthouse Maths webpage.
Scitech is a not-for-profit organisation proudly supported by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification
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