This is the first post in a while which is not part of my Mastery curriculum in Scotland series, although it does deal with the usual topics I write about. I recently had an excellent email exchange with @tomalaboma. He is another PT maths who is thinking along the same lines as me in terms of where mathematics education in Scottish Secondaries is going wrong and what needs to be done to fix it. He also posts under the @offpistemaths handle, with a lot of thought provoking snippets. I have decided to share some of that exchange, with his consent, as it may be of benefit to others who are interested in what we are trying to do with our curriculum. Some of it might be a little controversial! As always, I look forward to the interaction and follow up questions with many of you via Twitter.
- How have the primaries responded to this?
- Are these assessments designed to assess current knowledge or potential?
- Do you have any other plans for this transition in the future?
Ultimately, realistically, I want all of set 1 to 5 to be able to get H or N5 by exit, so they all need to learn the material eventually. In last year’s S1 (and this year’s S2) we’d see scores of 90% in set 1 and then a slide as we looked at each set below, to the point that, say, set 5 had a mean score of 50% (or less). Because we are going to be going much slower, and into more depth with classes, as they require it, then this phenomenon should become a relic of the past. Summative assessment should be once learners are in a position to succeed.
I think the analogy of learning to drive is applicable here. Some people do a crash course of 5 lessons and pass first time, which others take over a year! Ultimately though, nobody would be put forward for their test unless their was a realistic chance of passing. Regarding our approach, I will post the scores of the five classes following the course once all have completed the assessment.
We want them to catch up – I have no intention of having ghetto classes of forgotten pupils who are destined to failure.
- This is one of the biggest challenges that we face. I’m fed up of kids doing the same 5 Calculated Colouring exercises and playing on Cool Maths Games for three years before we “get them” their National 3 in S4 and National 4 in S5 before finding them completely out of their depth in a National 5 class in S6 (if they are lucky!).
There are no timelines dictating that we spend 2 weeks on fractions etc. We move on when mastery has been achieved by a majority of the class.
- One of my main goals this year has been to pick up the pace across the department and ensure more accountability - I feel that I’m doing the opposite of what you are doing in this regard. Your logic is hard to argue with but I am not sure that I am in a position to do this yet.
Our S4/5/6 middle/lower classes are disengaged and underachieving
- Every PT that I meet is tearing their hair out about this
- You mentioned:
2. Study habits
- I would also add:
4. Mindset/attitude towards mathematics
Agree with all you’ve said there. We did anonymous surveys of S2 classes who recently were given a test and provided with some revision materials. From set one 87% said they did their pre-test revision as advised, only 23% of set 5 said the same. I’d like to think that after a year of the new curriculum and interventions we are putting in place that the culture in next year’s S2 will be better than at present. I agree with thinking Habits. I’m current reading “Thinking Mathematically” By John Mason, recommend it. So much of what we do as maths/science/engineering/computing/whatever graduates is second nature and internalised. We sometimes can’t externalize and codify this stuff for learners, as we don’t really know what we do either, in terms of solving problems. We just have a knack, or feel or intuition. This has been learned though. I’m not talking explicit skills, but more our range of approaches to questions and mind-set when tackling something new. This is why regular engagement with problem solving and rich tasks is vital in developing mathematicians.
Of course, all of this is built upon knowledge. Unless pupils have first acquired the relevant knowledge and understanding of a topic then problem solving is very difficult. That’s why in the old days of credit you rarely saw a pupil score better on the reasoning component than on the knowledge component. The planning of the development of problem solving skills has to be explicit. As part of this the ideas and understanding of resilience and perseverance can be teased out over time too. While I often disagree with Jo Boaler’s comments (especially on memorisation of timestables), she states that ‘traditional, narrow, procedural mathematics fills our classrooms’. In this regard I think she is correct. I do not understand how this sort of mathematics teaching could possibly produce pupils with the mindset to succeed with non-routine problems. A classroom based upon evidence based pedagogy, effective tasks, whole class discussion and collaboration and high quality direct instruction with deep explanation and good use of models and multiple representations, on the other hand, is able to do this.
I regularly see kids from oversees arrive at the school and make up two years of progress in one, because they work hard.
- Again I find myself nodding along here. We should absolutely be holding all of our learning to the highest standards. For me, this extends to the private sector who we have a huge amount to learn from. I’ve tweeted a bit on my Off Piste account about the standard of their entry exams. Although I find this horribly elitist, I feel that there is no reason that kids from Glasgow can’t be held to the same standard of those at Eton.
Homework Policy …Most exercises are single topic based – usually practice and drill
- My ideal scenario is for classes to be investigative, challenging and creative and homework to be the essential “boring”, repetitive drills for retention. However, my problem is that kids are not doing their homework meaning that these exercises have to have a place in class. Trying hard to crack this one but finding it tough! I’m going to look at your policy at our DM and see what the response is.
- That said I’d like to read into the current trend and see what the research says about homework.
Agree – I like to do the harder stuff in class, where support is available to the kids. I’ve had battles with older kids across the dept regarding homework in various folks classes, but I hope if we get S1 on board doing it from day 1, it won’t be a shock when we ask them to do a bit more in N5. At present, I’ve had to speak to less than a handful of pupils in S1 about not returning homework. The kids now know to expect homework every lesson.
Pre Assessment Preparation Policy (including no in class revision)
- Totally on board with this. This will make a huge difference when coupled with the supported study.
- Have you created the revision pack?
- How “leading” are the questions in the pack?
Some of my colleagues disagree (with no in class revision) – I’m interested in what your views are too, reader. Let me know.
- On what basis do they disagree?
- I don’t think that anyone can argue with having high expectations for all learners. I could maybe understand the argument that we are putting learners under too much pressure at a young age. Saying that, perhaps it’s better that we give them that responsibility earlier - I’ve seen too many students crumble in S4 when the expectation is suddenly heightened.
…our clearly planned pathways all the way to S5 show there is nothing to be worried about in terms of pace relative to making H/N5, as appropriate, by end of S5.
- Can I please please see these pathways?
- What planning went into these and what did you use for guidance?
- My planning principles are different from what you’ve described but, again, I find it very difficult to find fault in your thought-process. Would be really keen to compare notes on this.
Most of our exercises and tasks…
- Do all staff use the same resources?
- This is my biggest dilemma (as you will have read in my tweets). On one hand, I want high-quality learning experiences to be common place in all classrooms. On the other hand, I want resources to be reactive to the class being taught. I feel that teachers can become resource reliant. Often the “turn to page…” approach is no worse that the “here’s a Tarsia” approach. Really keen to hear what your thoughts are on this. I’m trying to implement the Swan tasks as a compromise.
- On that note, since being introduced to the Swan tasks at your presentation in Stirling, my teaching is the strongest that it’s been so thanks for that. I feel that these tasks offer a framework that almost guarantees learners to be creative as well deepening understanding.
predicted_timings_for_fastest_classes.xlsx |