Cuemath held its first Australian Parent Summits in Sydney and Melbourne on 17 and 18 October, bringing together more than 370 parents and students across the two events.

The Sydney summit took place on 17 October, attracting around 170 attendees, followed by the Melbourne event on 18 October, which drew more than 200 people. The programme included a discussion on mathematical reasoning in the age of artificial intelligence, student awards and a contest in which children explained mathematical concepts in their own words.

Cuemath founder and CEO Manan Khurma opened the summits with a talk titled “Being MathFit for an AI World”. He discussed four aspects of mathematical ability: fluency, understanding, application and reasoning.

Fluency involves knowing mathematical facts and methods, while understanding means knowing why those methods work. Application refers to using mathematics in practical problems, and reasoning involves thinking through a problem logically.

With AI increasingly capable of performing calculations, mathematical reasoning is becoming especially important. He explained that the program’s name comes from its main teaching rule, “Cue, don’t tell”. Tutors give a hint when a child is stuck, never the answer. The child does the thinking, so they learn how to solve the problem, not just what the answer is.

The second half of each summit celebrated students, the MathFit Honours Awards and Teach it Back contest. Students were recognised in four categories: Rising Stars, for the biggest improvement in maths skills; School Distinction, for excellent school exam results; National Distinction, for top national results such as “Exceeding” in NAPLAN; and International Distinction, for success in international competitions such as SASMO. The awards recognised not just achievement, but also the progress behind it.

“Watching the children collect their awards was the highlight for everyone,” Manan said. “Their parents were taking photos, and the children were clearly proud. That kind of recognition gives a child confidence in maths.”

Another feature of the programme was the Teach It Back contest. Before the events, students submitted videos in which they explained a mathematical concept or demonstrated how to solve a problem. The three leading entries from each city were screened at the respective summits. Winners received cash prizes of up to AUD 500.

The activity is a reflection of the ability to explain mathematical thinking out loud, rather than simply giving away a correct answer. Explaining a solution requires students to describe their approach and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts involved.

The Australian events followed a Parent Summit held by Cuemath in Dubai in September. The format brings parents and students together for discussions about mathematics education and recognition of student achievements.

The Sydney and Melbourne summits provided an opportunity for families to hear about the state of maths education in the age of AI.