I’ve Spent Years Studying How Children Actually Learn Mathematics

Most maths tutors never study how to teach. I find it astonishing.

Atul Rana and John Corbett
Atul Rana and John Corbett at a Maths Conference.

They may have a degree, they may know the syllabus inside out. But they’ve never studied how mathematical understanding is actually built and crucially how to rebuild it when it’s broken. There are hundreds of books on mathematics education. Very few tutors have read even a single one.

I’ve spent years developing my teaching brain, reading books all year round, attending and presenting at conferences, workshops, reflection, and conversation with some of the most thoughtful educators in the UK. I host my own maths education videocast, contribute to community panels, and run a Facebook group for professional maths tutors.

In the UK, nearly half a million people are engaged in teaching mathematics professionally across all levels* — from primary classrooms to private tutoring. Yet only a tiny fraction actively seek professional development. These are the people I learn from. That’s the community I thrive in.

I host #MathsChatLive – A wide-ranging discussion with the most driven mathematics teachers.

Conferences Attended – Complete Mathematics

2025
#MathsConf38 – Oldbury (my blog review)		2024
#MathsConf36 – Sheffield
#MathsConf35 – Leicester
2023
#MathsConf33 – Leeds
#MathsConf32 – Derby
#MathsConf31 – Farnborough		2022
#MathsConf30 – Manchester
#MathsConf29 – Kettering
#MathsConf28 – Gloucester (my blog review)
2021
#MathsConf27 – Ashford
#MathsConf26 – Online
#MathsConf25 – Online		2020
#MathsConf24 – Online (my blog review)
#MathsConf23 – Online
#MathsConf22 – Manchester
2019
#MathsConf21 – Peterborough
#MathsConf19 – Penistone (my blog review)
#MathsConf18 – Bristol (my blog review)		2018
#MathsConf17 – Birmingham (my blog review)
#MathsConf15 – Manchester (my blog review)
2017
#MathsConf13 – Sheffield (my blog review)
#MathsConf10 – London (my blog review)

Atul Rana - The Profs Online Tutor of the Year 2018
Winning the Profs online tutor of the year award 2018.

Courses & Workshops

  • Weekly Webinars – Professor Mahesh Sharma
  • Algebra Tiles Masterclass (2020)
  • Dyscalculia Workshop – British Dyslexia Association (2019)
  • Making Maths Videos – London (2019)
  • Maths with Manipulatives & Puzzles (2019)
  • Cognitive Science in Maths Teaching (2018)
  • Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract & Language Methods (2018)
  • Bar Modelling / Algebra Tiles / Paper Folding (2017)
  • Dyscalculia Training – Patricia Babtie (2015)
Reading the book 'Teaching for Mastery' by Mark McCourt.
Reading ‘Teaching for Mastery’ by Mark McCourt

Books Read on Mathematics Education

  1. Teaching for Mastery – Mark McCourt
  2. Arithmetic – Paul Lockhart
  3. A Mathematicians Lament – Paul Lockhart
  4. Measurement – Paul Lockhart
  5. Visible Maths – Peter Mattock
  6. Conceptual Maths – Peter Mattock
  7. How I wish I’d Taught Maths – Craig Barton
  8. The Dyscalculia Solution – Patricia Babtie
  9. 100 Ideas on Dyscalculia Teaching – Patricia Babtie
  10. Dyscalculia : From Science to Education – Brian Butterworth
  11. Pi in the Sky: Counting, Thinking, and Being
With Cathy from HUE cameras at the BETT show.
Atul Rana with HUE cameras representative at the BETT show.

Guest Writing & Collaboration

* The figure of nearly half a million maths educators in the UK was calculated using data and projections I requested via ChatGPT. I’ll publish the full working and references in an upcoming blog post.