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To
develop teaching approaches to informal algebra
in years 4-6, preparing pupils
more securely for formal algebra required
in year7. |
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School: Bishop Heber High
School |
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Fellow: Sian Jones |
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Email: brightpurplehair@hotmail.com |
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Final Report |
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Aims: |
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‘To develop teaching
approaches to informal algebra in Y4-6,
preparing pupils more securely for formal
algebra required in Y7. This will mirror
the approaches to informal/formal arithmetic
in KS2’. |
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Focus: |
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This was never MY Gatsby project,
however much I wanted it to be. It always
belonged to the primary partnership, from
the first meeting held with primary heads
and maths co-ordinators on 16 December 2002
up to today. The focus has been on: |
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primary teachers gaining
a deeper understanding of the basis
on which algebraic structures are founded,
for example pattern and music |
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secondary teachers gaining a deeper
understanding of more informal approaches
to teaching algebra |
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maths teachers (Y3-9) discussing
together what they do and how they do
it – with algebra |
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developing ideas and approaches to
generalisation with Y5/6 pupils |
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developing greater continuity between
Y6 and Y7 by using work produced by
pupils and their ‘real’
performance in order to inform setting
in Y7 maths |
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providing a new stimulus for Y6 pupils
(and their teachers) after the NC tests |
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What has been achieved? Where is
the evidence for this? |
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Half-termly ‘Heber
Maths Challenge’ for Y5&6
with certificates for all entrants |
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Links re-established between teachers
of maths in Heber primary partnership |
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Heber has information about pupils’
attainment in Y6 in maths based on information
other than NC test data |
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Personal reflections – Development
as a teacher – Points of interest/surprise/difficulty |
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I was surprised: |
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At how enthusiastic and
excited the primaries were about the
INSET and the ‘Heber challenges’ |
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To find out that there had been a
‘distance’ between the primary
schools and the maths dept. for some
time. The INSET, Heber Maths Challenge
and hopefully the school visits have
been invaluable in bridging this divide.
I do not know how it would have happened
without funding to support it and an
individual ignorant of the situation! |
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I found it difficult to: |
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arrange for the maths
department to be present at meetings
or INSET during or after school time.
Covering 6 teachers in one subject for
a non-‘standards’/SDP event
was not a priority. This is not necessarily
a reflection of this school but it is
a reflection of the pressure that senior
school managers are working under |
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communicate with
schools and colleagues from my mobile
classroom! |
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It was interesting that: |
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I have
had my belief confirmed that interaction
teacher to teacher and pupil to teacher
is the most important aspect of transition
and not relying on test results or ‘standards’
agenda to inform decisions about incoming
Y7. |
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How has the school benefited? |
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The distance between the
maths dept and primary schools has disappeared.
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The primary schools
now very happy that teachers from Heber
really do go in to teach Y6 and this
leads to further suggestions for ideas
about working together. |
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Pupils’ progress
in mathematics will benefit enormously
as the transition is smoothed for them. |
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Parents see a tangible
link in mathematical achievement between
the schools, often one of the subjects
that causes most anxiety for pupils |
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Next steps |
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Continue ‘Heber
Maths Challenge’ |
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Plan visits to deliver
‘Magic Numbers’ every summer
term |
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Use M. Res. course
at University of Swansea to evaluate
approaches to ‘informal’
teaching of algebra in KS3. |
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Introduce ‘24Game’
Challenge for partner primary schools
and Heber, using the remaining funds
to do this. |
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