TES Connect and the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) are working together to help raise standards in maths teaching through the sharing of resources. Throughout the summer, they invited teachers to enter a competition to find the best maths resources available.

The closing date for entries is now less than a fortnight away. So far, more than 300 resources have been uploaded and shared. But what should you consider when putting together a winning maths resource?

What makes a good resource?

“It’s not just about worksheets: resources are more than that,” says Meryl Hargreaves, a key stage 3 maths teacher and member of the ATM’s general council. “It’s the questions you ask and the way you use the material that counts.”

Peter Lacey, the chair of the ATM’s general council, adds that the forthcoming demise of National Strategies - which define every lesson by its end or learning objective - will actually help teachers become more creative in the way they use resources. Good resources, such as the ATM book Points of Departure, also offer starting points for lessons, he says.

An example of a good resource might be using 100 square floor tiles to demonstrate “people maths”: pupils stand on different numbered tiles between one and 100 and are out of the game if they are a square number, a multiple of five and so on until only one is left. Or use “We can work it out” collaborative problem-solving cards, which only reveal part of the information pupils need to work out a conundrum, so teams have to work together. Worksheets on their own can be limiting.

How to enter

The closing date for entries is Monday, September 14. There is no limit to the number of entries: the more quality resources you upload, the more chances you have of winning. There are nine categories covering early years, primary and secondary resources and lesson plans.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges from the ATM during the last week of September. The winners in each category will receive an iPhone and two runners-up in each category will win digital cameras.

Go to www.tes.co.ukmaths-competition to find out how to share your resources.

About ATM

ATM resources have supported maths teachers since the organisation’s inception. Fifty years ago it was called the Association for Teaching Aids in Mathematics, reflecting its role in creating teaching aids. Subsequent resources have included booklets, equipment and materials for information and communication technologies. The materials have been used across all key stages with pupils, students and teachers. The resources have always been produced by members of the ATM and have helped countless individuals enjoy and further their understanding and enjoyment of mathematics. For more information and examples of maths resources, visit www.atm.org.uk

Good resources should encourage:

• .an understanding of the problem
• .enjoyment of the subject
• .new insights and challenges for the learner
• .exploration of new ideas and possibilities
• .questioning and critical approaches
• .sharing of ideas by all learners

• At the same time, they should be:

  • .engaging for the learner
  • .interactive
  • .original and imaginative
  • .insightful
  • .often open-ended
  • .purposeful.