Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of lesson plans, activity ideas, problem sets and jobs lists? It’s easy to get lost in the what and the how of our daily work in schools. But if we take a page out of Simon Sinek’s book, we need to start with the ‘Why’.

In his famous ‘Golden Circle’ model, Sinek argues that while every organisation knows what they do, and some know how they do it, the most successful ones start with ‘why’. Sure we can all articulate our broader purpose in education - it’s a vocational and mission-driven profession after all - but when it comes to pinning down ‘why’ we teach mathematics, could we be so clear? Would we all agree? And how might our answers influence the practical choices we make and their impact on the students we teach?

For mathematics educators, a version of this ‘why’ is tucked away right at the beginning of the 2014 National Curriculum for England and Wales. The ‘Purpose of Study’ statement includes words such as ‘creative’, ‘a foundation for understanding the world’ ‘the beauty and power of mathematics’, ‘enjoyment’ and ‘curiosity’. Are these the words you’d expect? To what extent do they drive the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ of the mathematics curriculum in your school or classroom?

This document isn't just a handbook; it outlines every child’s basic statutory curriculum entitlement. Take five minutes this week to re-read that Purpose of Study. Ask yourself: How much of my current practice actually brings this vision to life? Is the "beauty and power" of mathematics getting a look-in? Are we consistently providing opportunities for curiosity and creativity, or are we getting lost in the ‘how’ of the pedagogy or the ‘'what' of the content? And what does that mean for the mathematical experiences we are providing for the next generation?

Department for Education (2013) Mathematics programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2. National curriculum in England. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-mathematics-programmes-of-study

TED (2010) How great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek. 4 May. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA