Making Thinking Visible: How Maths Journalling Builds Confident Learners With Kirsten Fenton & Holly Drummond

In this episode, Jon is joined by Dr Kirsten Fenton and Holly Drummond, two experienced primary practitioners from Scotland who have been at the forefront of exploring how maths journalling can change the way pupils think, talk and feel about mathematics.

Kirsten and Holly are co-creators of the PACE framework and their research on oracy, curriculum design and maths journalling has been featured in The Herald, TES, Enlighten and Tom Sherrington’s Classroom Voices Blog. Between them, they bring over 25 years of experience across schools and universities, united by a shared passion for high-impact pedagogy rooted in reflection, equity and learner voice.

The conversation begins with their own contrasting experiences of maths at school—Holly’s early confidence giving way to later challenges, and Kirsten’s journey from maths anxiety to passionate advocacy. Together they share how these experiences shaped their belief that every child can develop a positive maths identity.

They explain what maths journalling really is—and what it isn’t. It’s not an add-on or a plenary task, but a pedagogical approach that integrates thinking, talk and written reflection throughout every maths lesson. From “brain dumps” at the start of a unit to “stop and jots” during teaching, the process helps children make their thinking visible, connect ideas and take ownership of their learning.

Jon, Kirsten and Holly discuss how journalling supports metacognition, oracy and reasoning, as well as how it can help to reduce maths anxiety by shifting classroom culture away from right-or-wrong answers towards curiosity and creativity. They explore how this approach builds inclusive learning environments and strengthens pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and enjoyment of maths.

There’s also discussion of practical strategies for getting started, how to respond to misconceptions in real time, and how to embed journalling without creating extra workload.

Kirsten and Holly share examples of how journalling looks in practice—from anchor charts and worked examples to real-life projects like planning a Halloween party. They explain how pupils use drawings, diagrams and sentence stems to express their reasoning and how this fosters a deeper understanding of mathematical ideas.

They end by reflecting on pupil voice, teacher collaboration, and the simple power of asking children to show us what you’re thinking.

Connect with Holly and Kirsten

Email: holly.drummond@highland.gov.uk

kafenton@esms.org.uk

Recent publications:

• Show me what you think: Maths Journalling and the Case for Oracy in Scottish Primary Schools – Teacherhead
• Reimagining Primary Maths Education in Scotland Through Journaling – Enlighten
• Maths journaling is giving students control over lessons – The Herald
• How journalling can alleviate pupils’ maths anxiety – TES