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Peer
mentoring in mathematics |
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School:
Birdwell Primary School, Barnsley |
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Fellow: Simon Walker |
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Email: simon.walker@barnsley.org,
simonwalker1@aol.com |
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Aims of the Fellowship Project |
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As part of the senior leadership team, I
identified from our tracking system a need
to cater more appropriately for higher ability
mathematicians in Y4 whilst providing opportunities
for practice and consolidation in Y6. In a
very mixed ability class, with current attainment
levels ranging from level one to level five,
I aimed to provide the most able children
in Y4 with an extension opportunity to develop
their understanding. In Y6, the higher ability
regularly receive enrichment activities and
lower attainers receive a focus from additional
support in the classroom, Springboard Maths
and planned teacher differentiation. With
booster groups and single gender maths classes
being trialled, I decided to give the middle
ability band additional attention. |
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A pilot project indicated that success,
in the form of higher attainment and increased
confidence, was possible by developing a collaborative
approach. The system allows the two groups
of children to work together in partnership
to practice and develop their skills and abilities. |
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Outline of the Plan |
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The children are selected using a variety
of criteria. Optional SATs, end-of-year numeracy
assessments, questionnaires about children’s
own views of themselves as learners and an
observation of all Y6 children teaching an
area of maths to Reception children were used.
They supported the class teacher’s nominations
for the target groups. I considered it very
important to take account of the mentor’s
ability to make effective and sustainable
relationships in order to inspire the maintenance
of commitment and motivation. Parents are
informed of their children’s participation. |
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Appropriate resources are obtained (learning
journals, reward stickers, mentor badges and
ICT software). A key theme to the plan is
for mentors to use laptops and suitable maths
teaching software to deliver subject material
to their students in order to secure motivation.
Resource timetables and teaching plans are
compiled, and delivery material is collected.
Mentors are then trained. |
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Mentor training takes the form of three,
twenty minute sessions where children receive
information about giving praise, dealing with
behaviour and teaching strategies, with opportunities
to discuss their understanding in a non-threatening
environment with me. Mentors discuss the meaning
of effective feedback and how to ask key questions
about learning. |
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Children then engage in the learning and
teaching process using the software, whilst
reflecting upon what they are learning and
how they are learning it. End of unit assessments
are given to both groups to assess the degree
to which understanding is transferable to
paper questions. Termly reviews, periodical
observations and interviews are built in to
the process to analyse the programs effectiveness.
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So Far… |
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The children have been selected for both
groups. All mentors have been trained using
support sheets. Apart from the information
provided, the most effective part of this
process was the opportunity for the mentors
to discuss their understanding. Children thought
about the areas themselves, made notes and
then talked together. I observed new knowledge
being generated as a result of the talk, with
children envisioning scenarios and discussing
possible ways to behave. It added a level
of importance to the project, in their view,
and they felt prepared and ready to begin
after talking with me and each other about
some strategies that could be useful. |
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The relationships that have been formed
between mentor and student are currently very
positive. They are enjoying working together
and then reflecting on their part in the process.
Mentors are observed giving praise and rewards
to their students, not for the sake of it
but focused on the tasks, levels of progression
and behaviour. |
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Members of both groups are regularly asking
both their teachers and me to confirm that
the weekly timetabled sessions are still going
ahead and that nothing has arisen to prevent
this. I have produced a half-termly plan,
identifying not only the focus of each session
but the day/session in which it takes place.
This is important to identify because, as
you can appreciate, a primary school’s
plans often need to be fluid and flexible
to allow for changes and other opportunities
that arise. Children demonstrate a good understanding
of the nature of my role in school and that
I, as deputy head, am frequently called to
assist elsewhere. However, from an organisational
point of view, the project is currently running
smoothly. As it run as an enrichment opportunity,
Peer Mentoring in Mathematics involves the
participants from Y6 and Y4 being withdrawn
from a numeracy session once a week. It has
been difficult to arrange a regular day for
the sessions, due to curriculum and time demands,
but so far they have always taken place at
some point during the week. |
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An interesting point has emerged in relation
the transference of understanding to paper
questions. Both groups are working with the
Interactive Teaching Programs (ITPs) from
the DfES ‘Using ICT to support Mathematics
in Primary Schools’ materials. I have
found their simplicity, and requirement to
be ‘taught’ rather than watched,
conducive to use by children. Mentors have
each ITP explained and have time to use and
talk about themselves before they collect
their students and teach them the objective
using the software. Both groups demonstrate
a good understanding at this stage. However,
an emerging issue is the groups’ ability
to then apply this knowledge to a set of paper-based
questions. The higher ability Y4s are experiencing
some success but the middle ability Y6s are
experiencing difficulty. I intend to discuss
this with the children individually prior
to next terms activities. |
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I have conducted an end of
term review in the form of mentor and student
questionnaires. 100% of students believe their
mentors are effective in helping them to learn
and all believe they are learning new maths
skills at least most of the time. Interestingly,
all mentors also believe they are learning
new skills, both in maths and working with
others, and comments suggest that students
are also helping them to learn. |
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I had originally intended to run a parallel
project using a colleague at another school
in a neighbouring authority. Mentors would
then link up as ‘epals’ and share
experiences and learning. This has so far
not taken place due to unforeseen difficulties
experienced with its implementation. I hope
to deal with this in the spring term. |
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The learning journals are proving to be
a useful tool in the evaluation and reflection
process as I have provided key areas for the
children to consider. Aspects of their learning
have been recorded in relation to subject
knowledge and methods used. Mentors reflect
on what they did to help their student learn,
with students thinking about this also. This
is promoting both reflections on subject matter
and about strategies for learning. It is an
area that I plan to develop further. |
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Next Steps |
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As the mentors develop their confidence
in giving feedback to their students, I aim
to provide them with additional information
and training on questioning designed to help
to extend their students thinking at different
points during a session. For example, I will
look at questions to ask at the beginning,
interventions that can be made to check progress
while students are working, questions for
those who are stuck and areas to address during
a plenary. I also plan to revisit self-evaluation. |
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It is also important to evaluate the outcomes
of this enrichment/extension project in terms
of children’s views, progress, achievement
and standards. I will interview the children
and their class teachers and analyse collected
data and my observations. This process will
provide evidence as to the effectiveness of
Peer Mentoring in Mathematics in this context.
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