Showing posts with label Marking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marking. Show all posts

5 Maths Gems #3

Well it's been an emotional twosome of weeks. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat too GCSE results kept many of us upward at nighttime too nosotros experienced the commons feelings of joy, pride, relief too sometimes disappointment. But nevertheless nosotros hold to cook for the novel schoolhouse yr too shout back nearly what we'll exercise differently.

The hardest matter nearly writing these weekly posts is deciding which ideas to feature. I receive got an increasingly long listing of unused textile because fifty-fifty when Twitter's teachers are preoccupied amongst results, the incredible inventiveness too spirit of collaboration remains. In this postal service I'll showcase merely v of the really many ideas shared on Twitter this week.

1. Homework
Kathryn Forster (@DIRT_expert) shared a novel gear upward of homeworks that she has designed. Each homework consists of v sections: literacy, research, memory, skills too stretch. These homeworks would live followed upward past times starter activities such every bit spelling or retentiveness tests too discussions nearly enquiry findings. Kathryn has really helpfully shared iv of her homeworks for us to borrow:
These are actually goodness ideas.

If you're thinking nearly trying out to a greater extent than or less dissimilar approaches to homework I recommend reading Cav's (Homework too Retention and Take Away Homework.

 2. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Scavenger Hunt
Speaking of homework, the Mailbox (@TheMailbox) shared a 'scavenger hunt' which could live adapted every bit starting fourth dimension homework for Year seven or 8.  Alternatively you lot could convey a pile of newspapers too magazines into 1 of your starting fourth dimension Year seven lessons so your pupils tin exercise a poster inward degree using this idea.

3. Oh for a room to telephone yell upward my own...
There's nevertheless a lot of classroom display ideas going circular Twitter. One of my most retweeted retweets this calendar week was this 'Change your words' display:
It's of import to communicate these messages too a display similar this is a goodness agency of doing so. The sentiment originally came from Sarah Hagan's (@mathequalslove) post '2014-2015 Classroom Pics - My Most Colorful Room Yet!'. Sarah may good live 1 of the most enthusiastic maths teachers inward the world! Her weblog is really popular, too rightly so. Check out this lectern inward her room - yes, a lectern! Is this touchstone inward American classrooms? I must acquire one!

I saw lots of prissy display ideas inward Sarah's Homework too Retention and Take Away Homework.

 2. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Scavenger Hunt
Speaking of homework, the Mailbox (@TheMailbox) shared a 'scavenger hunt' which could live adapted every bit starting fourth dimension homework for Year seven or 8.  Alternatively you lot could convey a pile of newspapers too magazines into 1 of your starting fourth dimension Year seven lessons so your pupils tin exercise a poster inward degree using this idea.

3. Oh for a room to telephone yell upward my own...
There's nevertheless a lot of classroom display ideas going circular Twitter. One of my most retweeted retweets this calendar week was this 'Change your words' display:
It's of import to communicate these messages too a display similar this is a goodness agency of doing so. The sentiment originally came from Sarah Hagan's (@mathequalslove) post 'post - similar the figurer posters below - too it made me long for my ain classroom. Whilst inward the baby-making phase of my life I'm having a brief while every bit a part-timer. It's a mixed blessing. One disadvantage is that I don't receive got my ain classroom so I learn inward rooms all over the school. Between lessons I receive got to mash downward crowded corridors amongst my huge purse of books too equipment (this was a nightmare when I was heavily pregnant!). There are lots of other disadvantages to beingness part-time such every bit missing of import information from unminuted meetings too a total lack of career progression opportunities. Of class this is all outweighed past times the massive wages of getting to pass fourth dimension amongst my children, so I'm non complaining... (much).

Another display sentiment I've seen this calendar week is this classroom rules poster, shared by @TeachThought inward this post. I shout back pupils would appreciate these really clear too reasonable messages.

On the land of written report of demeanour management, I enjoyed David Didau's (@learningspy) post on schoolhouse routines.

If you lot desire to brand your ain classroom posters too so recitethis.com is nifty for creating pretty quotes too notices - thank you lot to @mathminds for sharing the link.

And if you're looking to provide your classroom, Stephen Harris (@Stephen_H) shared a twosome of awesome write-on tabular array designs: these ones are nifty for collaboration and tangram tables are perfect for a maths classroom.

And hold upward on display ideas, Mr Allan (@mrallanmaths) shared his RAG123 display, Chris Smith (@aap03102) shared a motion-picture exhibit of his 'Mathematician of the month' board, too Mr Taylor (@taylorda01) adapted Spiked Math's Mathagasm comic so it's suitable for display. I'm going to pocket all iii ideas - if I e'er acquire my ain classroom.

4. Teaching ideas from #mathschat
Weekly maths chats receive got identify on Twitter every Midweek at 8pm, organised by @BetterMaths. This calendar week nosotros discussed our favourite topics, tasks, resources too investigations, so the goodness ideas were coming thick too fast! I've got a long listing to form through.

There were lots of ideas nearly getting out of the classroom. Jon Treby (@JonTrebyAAN) suggested education loci exterior using buildings too string. He likewise puts record on the flooring of the schoolhouse hall when he teaches angles inward parallel lines. Dawn (@mrsdenyer) has a schoolhouse treasure hunt for 3D trigonometry too Martin Noon (@letsgetmathing) suggests using a clinometer to mensurate the meridian of schoolhouse buildings too trees.

There was likewise a lot of beak nearly popcorn! Dawn (@mrsdenyer) gets her students to pattern a popcorn cone - an activity that involves sectors too arcs, Pythagoras too volume. If students tin function out the volume of their cone, they tin fill upward it amongst popcorn! Miss Ren (@ReynoldsBSGD) shared Dan Meyer's popcorn picker chore - 'all you lot demand is A4 paper. I merely stand upward dorsum too scout the kids acquire stuck in!'.

5. Mistakes too feedback
I've written a lot nearly learning from mistakes lately so this tweet was really relevant:

And here's a nifty sentiment for marker from @ChrisHildrew.

So in that place you lot acquire - a minor pick of ideas from a calendar week on Twitter. I promise that's helpful. If you lot missed the previous 2 Maths Gems posts, you lot tin detect them here. I'll exit you lot amongst a prissy interrogation for your students from Big Ideas Math.



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5 Maths Gems #7

Common practise of successful departments' as well as 'What I learnt today' - both are good worth a read, especially for teachers of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree maths.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of the inspiration behind today's maths gems has come upward from teachers' blogs - I'm incredibly grateful to those who convey the fourth dimension to portion their ideas as well as experiences for the produce goodness of others.

1. Interactive Areas
Computer-based tools lead maintain made it easier to explicate some mathematical concepts as well as generate interesting questions. It's fantastic when applied scientific discipline enhances as well as enriches mathematics education.
I late tweeted this colourful instance which shows that nosotros tin cutting a circle into sectors as well as rearrange them to create upward one's involve heed the expanse (taken from @edfromo's Google+ post). @fmaths42 replied amongst this bright applet which illustrates the same matter inwards real clear interactive steps. Never earlier lead maintain I seen the formula for the expanse of a circle explained so clearly (and did y'all come across the 'proof without words' video inwards Maths Gems 4? That was skillful too).

Another fantabulous interactive tool is 'Investigating Triangle Area' (via @mathslinks). My students are ever happy to convey that a right angled triangle is one-half a rectangle, but are non so easily convinced for non-right angled triangles. The tool illustrates the fact past times allowing students to rearrange triangles into rectangles (click on subdivide as well as and then rotate as well as interpret the travel past times sections).

2. Estimation
Examples from estimation180.com
I've seen a lot of American teachers tweet close Common practise of successful departments' as well as 'What I learnt today' - both are good worth a read, especially for teachers of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree maths.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of the inspiration behind today's maths gems has come upward from teachers' blogs - I'm incredibly grateful to those who convey the fourth dimension to portion their ideas as well as experiences for the produce goodness of others.

1. Interactive Areas
Computer-based tools lead maintain made it easier to explicate some mathematical concepts as well as generate interesting questions. It's fantastic when applied scientific discipline enhances as well as enriches mathematics education.
I late tweeted this colourful instance which shows that nosotros tin cutting a circle into sectors as well as rearrange them to create upward one's involve heed the expanse (taken from @edfromo's Google+ post). @fmaths42 replied amongst this bright applet which illustrates the same matter inwards real clear interactive steps. Never earlier lead maintain I seen the formula for the expanse of a circle explained so clearly (and did y'all come across the 'proof without words' video inwards Every Math Teacher inwards the World Should Do This...Right Now!' by @nathankraft1 (shared amongst me past times @DianeMaths) y'all tin come across students working on whiteboards unopen to the classroom (I wishing my classroom was this big!).


Nathan enthusiastically says, 'When students are working on the whiteboards, I tin come across everything happening at once. It's similar I'm looking at the freaking Matrix. With a quick glance, I tin come across which students got it, which students are making fry mistakes, as well as which students lead maintain no sentiment what's going on. I tin chop-chop position errors for students. I tin inquire a stronger educatee to tending a struggling one. Once a educatee has the right answer, I yell, "Great! Erase it! Next problem!"'. His enthusiasm has rubbed off on me. I desire to sweat it! And earlier y'all disregard this sentiment because y'all don't lead maintain a room total of whiteboards, ship inwards involve heed that whatsoever vertical surface will produce - sweat writing on windows or using Common practise of successful departments' as well as 'What I learnt today' - both are good worth a read, especially for teachers of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree maths.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of the inspiration behind today's maths gems has come upward from teachers' blogs - I'm incredibly grateful to those who convey the fourth dimension to portion their ideas as well as experiences for the produce goodness of others.

1. Interactive Areas
Computer-based tools lead maintain made it easier to explicate some mathematical concepts as well as generate interesting questions. It's fantastic when applied scientific discipline enhances as well as enriches mathematics education.
I late tweeted this colourful instance which shows that nosotros tin cutting a circle into sectors as well as rearrange them to create upward one's involve heed the expanse (taken from @edfromo's Google+ post). @fmaths42 replied amongst this bright applet which illustrates the same matter inwards real clear interactive steps. Never earlier lead maintain I seen the formula for the expanse of a circle explained so clearly (and did y'all come across the 'proof without words' video inwards related post summarises the benefits of 'Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces':
  • Improves visibility.
  • Allows for transfer of cognition unopen to the room.
  • Non-Permanent removes fearfulness of writing.
  • Formative assessment past times instructor at all times.
  • Teacher tin respond questions past times having students await at others work.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 related sentiment comes from Common practise of successful departments' as well as 'What I learnt today' - both are good worth a read, especially for teachers of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree maths.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of the inspiration behind today's maths gems has come upward from teachers' blogs - I'm incredibly grateful to those who convey the fourth dimension to portion their ideas as well as experiences for the produce goodness of others.

1. Interactive Areas
Computer-based tools lead maintain made it easier to explicate some mathematical concepts as well as generate interesting questions. It's fantastic when applied scientific discipline enhances as well as enriches mathematics education.
I late tweeted this colourful instance which shows that nosotros tin cutting a circle into sectors as well as rearrange them to create upward one's involve heed the expanse (taken from @edfromo's Google+ post). @fmaths42 replied amongst this bright applet which illustrates the same matter inwards real clear interactive steps. Never earlier lead maintain I seen the formula for the expanse of a circle explained so clearly (and did y'all come across the 'proof without words' video inwards Improving students' collaboration using acrylic sheets'. Jeremy suggests investing inwards clear acrylic sheets that students tin write on. Diagrams, pictures, axes etc tin last pose underneath. Read his send service for to a greater extent than on this, it actually is a bright idea.

Next week
A lot of my readers volition last at La Salle Education's maths conference side past times side week. I’m actually looking forrad to it. Please come upward as well as tell how-do-you-do if y'all topographic point me. Bear inwards involve heed that I lead maintain a iii calendar month onetime babe who rarely sleeps, so if y'all come across me doze off at whatsoever betoken as well as then simply laissez passer on me a nudge.

I however promise to write a maths gems send service side past times side week, it volition last a twenty-four hours slow but hopefully total of ideas shared at the conference.

By the way, if y'all didn't grab my final send service 'Common practise of successful departments' as well as 'What I learnt today' - both are good worth a read, especially for teachers of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree maths.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of the inspiration behind today's maths gems has come upward from teachers' blogs - I'm incredibly grateful to those who convey the fourth dimension to portion their ideas as well as experiences for the produce goodness of others.

1. Interactive Areas
Computer-based tools lead maintain made it easier to explicate some mathematical concepts as well as generate interesting questions. It's fantastic when applied scientific discipline enhances as well as enriches mathematics education.
I late tweeted this colourful instance which shows that nosotros tin cutting a circle into sectors as well as rearrange them to create upward one's involve heed the expanse (taken from @edfromo's Google+ post). @fmaths42 replied amongst this bright applet which illustrates the same matter inwards real clear interactive steps. Never earlier lead maintain I seen the formula for the expanse of a circle explained so clearly (and did y'all come across the 'proof without words' video inwards Practical tips for a (newly) qualified maths teacher' as well as then produce lead maintain a look.  It was a pop send service inwards which I shared some ideas for getting organised, so it's non simply for NQTs.

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5 Maths Gems #10

Have yous ever wondered where the give-and-take mathematics comes from? Me neither. But this is genuinely quite interesting:

 Latin mathematica was a plural noun, which is why mathematics has an -s at the goal fifty-fifty though nosotros utilization it equally a singular noun. Latin had taken the give-and-take from Greek mathematikos, which inwards plough was based on mathesis. That word, which was also borrowed into English linguistic communication but is at nowadays archaic, meant "mental discipline" or "learning", particularly mathematical learning. The Indo-European root is mendh- "to learn." Plato believed no 1 could survive considered educated without learning mathematics. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 polymath is a someone who has learned many things, non only mathematics (source: Math Forum).

So my beau polymaths, here's my weekly maths gems. Creative maths teaching ideas, inspired past times the bully minds of Twitter.

1. Etymology
On Tuesday developing maths vocabulary before but at nowadays I possess got a novel thought to share.

There's bully value inwards talking to students most the etymology (origin) of mathematical words equally they arise. It helps students brand connections together with builds on their agreement of mathematics. Our role equally teachers is to enrich our students' lives alongside knowledge, together with noesis of etymology is both interesting together with important. This fantastic article (a must read!) says "Etymology provides a security internet of de-mystification. When all the words yous involve heed are novel together with confusing, or when those around yous set sometime words to foreign purposes, a grounding inwards etymology may help".

Thanks to @CParkinson535 for telling me most etymonline.com. I've taken the next excerpts from this website, only to give yous an thought of the sort of affair yous could part alongside your students:
  • hexagon (n.) 1560s, from Latin hexagonum, from Greek hexagonon, from hex "six" + gonia "angle" (see knee).
  • locus (n.) (plural loci), 1715, "locality," from Latin locus "a place, spot, position," from Old Latin stlocus, literally "where something is placed," Mathematical feel past times 1750.
  • vector (n.) "quantity having magnitude together with direction," 1846; before "line joining a fixed dot together with a variable point," 1704, from Latin vector "one who carries or conveys, carrier" (also "one who rides"), agent substantive from past times participle stalk of vehere "carry, convey" (see vehicle). 
  • binomial 1550s (n.); 1560s (adj.), from Late Latin binomius "having ii personal names," a hybrid from bi- (see bi-) + nomius, from nomen. Taken upward 16c. inwards the algebraic feel "consisting of ii terms."
Thanks also to @the_chalkface for sharing the listing of words below, most of which I'd never heard of. Although nosotros should e'er endeavour to utilization accurate mathematical vocabulary when we're teaching, some of these words may survive a footstep equally good far!


2. Plickers
I've never paid much attending to interactive voting systems before because my schoolhouse doesn't ain the necessary devices. The thought is that students simultaneously respond to a multiple alternative query or sentiment poll using a wireless system. The instructor tin terminate get together together with analyse their responses instantly.

I can't give my ain sentiment on their effectiveness equally a teaching tool, but benefits are listed here as: improved attentiveness, increased noesis retention; poll anonymously (unlike a demonstrate of hands); runway private responses; display polling results immediately; practice an interactive together with fun learning environment; confirm audience agreement of fundamental points immediately; get together information for reporting together with analysis. So they are similar to mini-whiteboards for formative assessment, but they possess got some clear advantages. The primary disadvantage is the buy together with maintenance cost. 

posts most Plickers lately together with am keen to assay it out. Plickers is a free app for your telephone or tablet. Print together with distribute voting cards and enquire students to concord upward their menu inwards the right orientation to betoken their answer. Scan the room alongside your telephone to collect the data. You tin terminate charge upward questions together with students' names on the user-friendly Plickers website. 

I've read some bully ideas to brand this locomote good inwards maths. One is to permanently stick the cards to the dorsum of students' books (from blog post. It plant similar this: practice a true/false board inwards your classroom together with stick a disputation on it that represents a mutual misconception. Underneath the query are ii modest whiteboards - 1 for students to write their refer if they retrieve the disputation is true, the other for students who retrieve the disputation is false. What I similar most this thought is that students tin terminate easily switch their respond from 1 board to the other if they larn something that changes their mind. At the goal of the calendar week the respond is revealed together with discussed. Helpfully, Amy's postal service provides some representative statements to acquire yous started.

4. Feedback
Now that Ofsted possess got helpfully Stuck Post-its' I featured concluding calendar week inwards that you'll survive able to encounter which questions rest unanswered, but inwards add-on you'll survive easily survive able to come about an oculus on workings to cheque understanding. 

The minute thought is from @eatf105. At the outset of the twelvemonth set upward a large 'literacy board' showing the letters A to Z. If a pupil hears a novel keyword during a maths lesson, they tin terminate possess got a post-it together with add together the keyword together with Definition to the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to Z board. Because post-its oftentimes autumn off, this powerfulness locomote meliorate on a pinboard - students could pivot upward an index menu instead. By the goal of the twelvemonth you'll possess got a student-made wall of keywords together with definitions.

What I've been upward to
My postal service on teaching trigonometry has been really pop this week.

I've also started writing Bitesize Gems (should possess got called them Midget Gems - thanks @taylorda01!). These are designed to survive printed onto postcards to render flashes of inspiration to busy teachers who don't read my blog. I intend to convert all of my previous gems posts to Bitesize Gems together with am aiming for a collection of 100.

I've also been exploring my novel subscription to MathsPad. I dearest their cleverly designed resources, similar this novel rounding worksheet.


I'll locomote out yous alongside a fantastic joke shared past times my adept friend (and maths rival) from schoolhouse @MikeMJHarris who is at nowadays developing software for mathematics education. I’ll survive sharing this joke alongside my Year 12s when nosotros comprehend convergent geometric series.


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5 Maths Gems #12

This is going to live on a relatively brusk gems ship service because I'm exhausted from entertaining xix toddlers this afternoon at my daughter's 3rd birthday party. So I'll live on brief today, but facial expression a lengthier ship service side yesteryear side calendar week when I've recovered.

1. Area of a circle (again)
In my seventh gems post I shared an applet that beautifully demonstrates how to derive the surface area of a circle yesteryear cutting it into sectors. This calendar week I establish a vivid gif that shows the same thing.
This gif is taken from the animatics (animations + mathematics) section of @MathsChallenges' website. The thinking behind this method is neatly explained in Geometry: What is the intuition behind the formula for the surface area of a circle? which was shared this calendar week by @GeometryDad.

2. Standard form
'resources library has or too thence corking ideas.

3. H5N1 grade resources
I saw this tweet from @DrTrapezio...

too thence I checked this out too establish that the Cambridge Mathematics Education Project is inviting schools to register every bit affiliates to gain early on access to their gratuitous H5N1 grade maths resources nether development. I'm e'er on the facial expression out for H5N1 grade resources too thence I registered. There's loads of corking materials on the website too I facial expression forrad to seeing the collection develop. 

Some of the CMEP's resources are forthwith featured on NRICH. For example, the question below is vivid (and non every bit difficult every bit it looks...)

I too similar the 'always, sometimes, never' bill of fare form 'Discriminating'.

Extract from Discriminating

And Parabella is a lovely work for your Year 12s studying coordinate geometry.

4. Operation Countdown
H5N1 combination of ideas too inventiveness from @LWmathsmatters, @EJmaths too @taylorda01 led to this first-class 'Operation Countdown'. I frequently role the 'four threes' activeness every bit a plenary inward an monastic say of operations lesson amongst Year 7 but it industrial plant amongst whatever historic menstruum group. I in i lawsuit used it every bit a Year xiii starter too they actually enjoyed it. The version below involves 5 threes but it's the same idea.
This film is from @taylorda01. @EJmaths also made this PowerPoint which includes a dark too white version.

5. #units #ruler #workings 
I read the ship service 'Hashtag closure' yesteryear A identify for gimmicks?'). David's ship service is close using a hashtag to summarise a lesson. 

Then A Frenzy of Marking: 'Progress Over Time' close feedback stickers. When I mark, I create notice that I write the same thing over too over again, too thence stickers would salve me a lot of time. Problem is, I'm non organised plenty to role stickers. I create my mark inward a multifariousness of locations too unremarkably but receive got a reddish pen to hand. Hashtags volition function but every bit good every bit stickers, every bit long every bit my students empathize the important of the hashtags.

When I grade I'm non succinct enough. For lawsuit I frequently write 'please larn to assistance companionship at 1.30pm on Midweek inward Room 111 for assistance amongst this topic'. Instead, I could write #helpclub. I too write things similar 'Look at the enquiry - yous were meant to circular your reply to i important figure'. I could but write #rounding. My students volition larn what I hateful (especially if they receive got this key inward their practise books) too it volition salve me loads of time. "What's the quest inward the # symbol?" I take away heed yous inquire - well, yes, the symbol isn't essential, but #MrsMorganLikesHashtags too they're non doing whatever terms are they? :)

So that's it - 5 quick gems from a busy mathematical mum. I was planning to characteristic or too thence thoughts close the value (or lack of value) of iPads inward maths didactics today but didn't larn fourth dimension to create the enquiry required, too thence volition salve that for my side yesteryear side gems post.

I'm too planning to write a ship service close circle theorems side yesteryear side week. I've got or too thence ideas but if you
receive got an interesting means of teaching circle theorems or whatever amazing resources, delight allow me know.

Also, don't forget to cheque out my other website, prethomework.weebly.com - the extensive collection has grown over half-term.

I'll larn out yous amongst a base of operations eleven abacus which I squall upwards is cute but volition annoy @solvemymaths (see his ship service 'My Base eleven Abacus Bugbear').


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Back To School

In ii weeks I'll provide to schoolhouse from motherhood leave. I've done this before, precisely non mid-way through a schoolhouse year. I'll solely hold upward working 3 days a calendar week precisely teaching 8 dissimilar classes, all shared amongst unopen to other teacher. It's going to hold upward a challenge.

On locomote past times of the anxieties associated amongst teaching lessons for the commencement fourth dimension since May, I'll hold upward getting my 7 calendar month former infant settled into plant nursery - I know from experience that this tin dismiss hold upward hard in addition to emotional. Although these challenges are a piffling daunting, I'm excited to seek out all the novel teaching ideas that I've picked upward from all the blogs in addition to tweets I've read over the final 6 months. I'm going dorsum to schoolhouse amongst fresh enthusiasm for teaching maths. In this shipping service I desire to nation yous nigh a few of the things I've got lined upward for January.

1. Exercise Books
I despair when I come across teachers spending their hard-earned meagre salaries on supplies for work, precisely I'm guilty of it too. I've stocked upward on pretty stationery, folders, board pens, post-it notes... in addition to this fourth dimension I've gone a stride farther in addition to bought my ain exercise books!

As an experiment, I'm going to seek out these maths books 2.0 from Design Thinking. One of the features of these books is the checklist, commutation words, farther questions in addition to commutation facts sections at the bottom of each page. I cry back my students volition dearest having these particular books in addition to volition accept to a greater extent than pride inwards their work. I also cry back I'll expression forwards to marker these books (at first!), to come across what words, facts in addition to questions my students have got chosen to write inwards the boxes.
Including postage stamp these toll me £40 for threescore books so I'll seek them amongst ii classes in addition to come across how it goes. I'm crossing my fingers that they larn inwards in fourth dimension for the start of term! (and that my hubby doesn't uncovering out that I spent my ain coin on supplies for school!).

2. Expectations
I'm planning to laid out my presentation expectations amongst all my students at Key Stage 3 in addition to 4 using a poster: 'gems 14 for details.
3. Hashtag Marking
I featured my ideas for hashtag marker inwards gems 12. I'm planning to have got a larn at this - each of my students at Key Stage 3 in addition to 4 volition hold upward issued amongst a Hashtag Marking Key (I'll impress it on A5 so they tin dismiss stick it inwards their maths majority or planner). I have got a feeling I'm going to have got a huge marker workload this twelvemonth so hopefully this volition relieve me unopen to time.
Extract from Hashtag Marking Key
4. Work Review Log
Based on an thought inwards this tweet, I programme to innovate a feedback log at Key Stage 5. I usually laid a slice of assessed function for my H5N1 flat students every week. I ever lay a lot of endeavour into providing written feedback, so I'd similar to ensure my students are reading in addition to reflecting on my comments. I'll inquire them to locomote on this Work Review Log at the front end of their folders in addition to I'll laissez passer on them an chance to consummate it every fourth dimension I provide a slice of work.
Extract from Work Review Log
The other thing I desire to do meliorate this twelvemonth is ensuring that my H5N1 flat students are doing homework on their own. I'm happy for my students to assistance each other inwards course of teaching in addition to on non-assessed homeworks (eg 'finish the textbook exercise'), precisely if I laid a slice of function for marker it should hold upward reflective of each student's private flat of understanding, non that of a grouping of friends. In the past times I've had 6th cast students getting As inwards their homeworks throughout the twelvemonth (because they have got a clever friend, or fifty-fifty a tutor) in addition to and so doing terribly inwards their actual exam.

5. Mistake Log
All my students volition have a Mistake Log to stick inwards the front end of their majority or folder. The thought is that whenever they brand a mistake, whether because of a careless skid or a misconception, they tape that mistake. Again, similar the Work Review Log, I promise it helps ensure that students are reading my feedback in addition to reflecting on how they tin dismiss improve. I cry back they'll uncovering this log useful when they come upward to revise.

6. #ByYourSide
I actually cry back every instructor should ensure their dependent area cognition is upward to scratch equally a affair of priority. And what meliorate chance to examine your ain dependent area cognition than sitting the qualification that you're responsible for teaching? I promise to sit down the Maths GCSE exams amongst my students this summer. I cry back they'll appreciate the human activity of solidarity, in addition to hopefully my teaching volition do goodness too. Although I'm really confident of my GCSE knowledge, I'll experience huge pressure level to larn 100% so I meliorate hold upward careful non to brand whatsoever light-headed mistakes! I also cry back to sit down H5N1 flat maths this summer. This is a much scarier prospect. For C3 (which I've never taught) in addition to C4 I'll surely have got to revise in addition to practise. I'm convinced this volition brand me a meliorate H5N1 flat teacher. I already fright beingness stumped past times a tricky C4 integration question! I did a statistics flat so haven't studied pure maths since I did my H5N1 levels inwards 1999. But if I learn it in addition to so I should know it similar the dorsum of my mitt shouldn't I? I promise I larn permission to do these exams because I cry back it volition hold upward a actually worthwhile exercise. Anyone amongst me? :)

7. Apps
I'm thinking nigh taking my iPad into school, if I tin dismiss prise it away from my toddler. I'm actually groovy to seek Idoceo because teachers on Twitter rave nigh it. But my schoolhouse has started using Mint Class this twelvemonth in addition to I desire to avoid duplication. So Idoceo mightiness have got to hold off until side past times side September, when I'll hold upward at a novel school.

I'm also groovy to seek Plickers in addition to Quick Key, both of which I've written nigh inwards my gems posts, in addition to I'm considering using iVisualiser too.

8. Resources
I've been lucky plenty to have a pair of lovely freebies latterly - 1 of my favourite resources websites MathsPad have given me a costless subscription that I can't hold off to use! I'm also interested in Create a Test. The squeamish people at Create a Test have got given my schoolhouse a 3 calendar month costless lawsuit of their test-writing tool. I wonder whether other schools are inwards the same province of affairs equally us - nosotros laissez passer on all our Key Stage 3/4 students 3 or 4 tests a twelvemonth (including an halt of twelvemonth exam) in addition to this is how nosotros decide maths sets for the side past times side twelvemonth (I should cry at this quest that I'm non supportive of a 'teach to the test' civilization inwards maths in addition to would dearest to listen option approaches). Anyway, because these are 'high stakes' tests, nosotros desire to avoid whatsoever adventure of papers beingness seen inwards advance, so nosotros do novel tests every year. This is actually fourth dimension consuming so we'd do goodness from a practiced lineament test-writing tool amongst a large banking concern of questions. I'll written report dorsum on how we're getting on amongst Create a Test inwards a pair of months.

So that's a few of the highlights of my electrical flow 'going dorsum to school' resources in addition to plans. Now I have got the most of import thing to do - I cry for to start planning my lessons. I'll hold upward doing circle theorems amongst Year 10, which is convenient because I latterly wrote a shipping service nigh teaching circle theorems. Unfortunately I've also been assigned 'constructing triangles' amongst my Year 8s - my to the lowest degree favourite theme inwards the world! Any ideas to brand this to a greater extent than bearable would hold upward gratefully received!


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5 Maths Gems #40

Hello in addition to welcome to my 40th gems post. This is where I portion 5 maths didactics ideas I've seen on Twitter.

I've been didactics long plenty to know how busy September is, only over again the overwhelming workload has come upward equally a shock! New classes, novel tutor group, novel systems, novel policies... I'm certain it volition all calm downwardly presently (well, maybe adjacent July!). However, therefore far therefore proficient - my novel schoolhouse is awesome in addition to I'm enjoying getting stuck into didactics again.

1. Play With Your Math
Thanks to Craig Jeavons (@Craigos87) for sharing a website I'd non seen earlier -playwithyourmath.com. Maths problems are posted every fortnight - they tin hold upward downloaded equally posters in addition to worksheets. Here's a couplet of examples:

2. Estimating Percentages
In #mathsTLP on Sunday @jeff2869 shared a overnice estimation tool - Estimate the Percentage. It's a straightforward activity for the Interactive Whiteboard that volition hold upward useful for assessing agreement of percentages.
3. Ordering Numbers
I similar activities involving ordering numbers, in addition to I especially similar the selection of numbers inwards these 2 activities from Chris Stapel (@StapelMathClass).


4. Number Starters
Back inwards Gems 34 I mentioned www.mathematicshed.com. These are nifty warm-up tasks for practising arithmetic.
5. Marking Stickers
I've seen some lovely examples of mark stickers this week. Anthony Biggs (@MathsDirectory) made these for presentation in addition to examine tips:
Miss Bowkett (@MissBowkett) shared her xanthous mark stickers which include feedback on presentation, 'what went well' in addition to adjacent steps.
Update
I've enjoyed coming together all my novel classes over the final 2 weeks. I've already used loads of wonderful Don Steward activities - this makes me happy!
3.142 variations
This calendar week I used Find the Factors puzzles for the starting fourth dimension time. I used a Level iv puzzle inwards my starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 10 in addition to a Level 1 puzzle inwards my starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 7. These puzzles are nifty for practising times tables in addition to using logic. Students inwards both classes said they wanted to effort to a greater extent than challenging Find the Factors puzzles therefore I'll definitely locomote these again.
Another success this calendar week was my starting fourth dimension Memory King tournament - I had a Year xi educatee recite the starting fourth dimension 10 prime numbers inwards 2.45 seconds!

I've got 3 novel Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grade classes in addition to am finding that they're all real tranquillity in addition to hardworking. When they're doing a exercise exercise you lot could remove heed a pivot drop. They never inquire for aid or piece of occupation together. At my previous school, 6th shape students were much chattier during lessons - although they were less focused, they did inquire each other for aid a lot, therefore it was a mixed blessing. Hannah (‏@LorHRL) made a helpful proposition on Twitter this calendar week - she said that playing music during lessons helps because therefore students don't receive got to interruption the quiet to speak. I took her advice in addition to played tranquillity classical music during 2 Year thirteen lessons - it worked well. The atmosphere inwards the room was calm in addition to relaxed - students continued to focus only were to a greater extent than willing to inquire for aid from me or their peers.

Recent Posts
Last calendar week I wrote a postal service near High Expectations. I discussed the importance of pitching lessons right only non dumbing downwardly the content. Do receive got a human face if you lot missed it.

My school's annual Open Evening is adjacent week. If you lot receive got 1 coming upward too, you lot mightiness abide by my postal service about Open Evening helpful - it has lots of ideas for the Maths Department.

I was going to write a postal service near literacy only I've been also busy to hand it my total attending this week. I decided to summarise 5 golden rules instead - regard below. I regard many resources that comprise spelling mistakes, grammatical errors (particularly missing inquiry marks in addition to errant apostrophes) or wrong terminology. Please don't locomote them! It's non fair on your students.
Coming Soon
I'm hosting #mathscpdchat at 7pm on Tuesday 15th September. The topic is 'What expectations are you lot communicating to your Year 10 students equally they start on the revised GCSE course?'. I promise you lot tin bring together in.

I also promise you're planning to come upward to #mathsconf5 in Sheffield on 26th September (it's non also piece of cake to register). Do come upward in addition to say hello. I'll hold upward around for pre-conference drinks on the Fri nighttime too. I'm rather upset (actually, brand that devastated!) that I'm missing the 1 workshop that I desperately wanted to become to - unfortunately it clashes amongst my workshop. I would real very much appreciate it if individual who attends Kris Bolton's session 'The Stories of Maths' writes a detailed postal service near literally everything he says. Or - fifty-fifty improve - could you lot cinema his workshop on your tablet? I'd hold upward hugely grateful.

I'll larn out you lot amongst these give-and-take points from my school's starting fourth dimension maths faculty coming together of the yr (sorry, I don't know the master source). What activity would you lot receive got inwards each case? Answers on a postcard please!


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