Maths Teacher Research Group Effective use of a textbook/mastery approach from expert practitioners. Louise Jeffs & Matthew Cameron 

Who Took Part? 2 groups Led by experienced teachers who took part in a similar TRG last year Facilitated by a maths SLE 10 teachers (5 in each group) Bournemouth Honiton Swanage Wimborne Verwood Primary, First & Middle schools

Approaches to Teaching Maths Some schools using MNP! Some schools using schemes created by SLE based on White Rose Some new to the mastery approach and some having taught this way for 3 years

Aims of the TRGs To work together, sharing successes, problems and solutions To develop a reflective approach to teaching To improve maths teaching and learning within each school through dissemination and continuous discussion of outcomes Group 1: To focus on the use of journals to aid learning and show progress Group 2: To identify and overcome barriers to learning whilst teaching for mastery

Journaling Over the year, each school developed their use of journals in a different way: to record during In Focus (exploration of a word problem) for greater depth tasks for independent work for reflections/ what have we learnt Best practice journaling was seen to have great impact in consolidating learning and developing greater depth.

Journaling successes were developed by…. Giving time for journaling Developing pupil discussion Introducing sentence starters Modelling pictorial methods Providing a variety of types of greater depth tasks Moving rapid graspers on quicker through the lesson Expecting pupils to support each other Asking children to prove, explain, find another way & check

Questions

Ideas to get you started…

Sentence Starters

Barriers to Learning Reading the questions (Y1, some Y2, some EAL) Format of activity pages (writing in boxes in the given layout) Gaps in learning from previous year groups Constraints of whole school timetable Time constraints within a lesson Lack of resilience Children just ‘knowing the answer’ and not willing to explore Children relying on formal methods without the understanding of number

Barriers overcome by…. Adult scribing Pre-teaching Equipment on the tables every lesson & on the carpet Use of whiteboards Adding to the Guided Practice – pre-empting misconceptions Selecting the ‘non-negotiable’ parts of the lesson Training TAs Mixed ability pairs – devloping discussions Rewarding resilience Using intervention time to address gaps/misconceptions & access greater depth activities Giving In Focus tasks based on real life

Other successful outcomes Stimulated conversation and thought Increased motivation Improved confidence Ability to challenge each others ideas Ability to use a variety of methods and select the most efficient one for the task

What have participants said about being part of the TRG? Teacher enjoyment in teaching Maths has increased and is having a positive impact in the classroom. The use of the ‘C.P.A’ is visibly effective and beneficial to all learners. The children’s mathematical ability is more secure (especially in number). An increase in children’s ability to reason and communicate effectively is evident in every lesson – time is made especially for discussion. The structure of the lessons immediately engages the children – they are ‘hooked’ straight into an In Focus task that can be extended through targeted questioning to challenge any ‘Rapid Graspers’. Bar Modelling is frequently demonstrated as a method and is a very useful tool for the children.

Discussion has helped reinforce best practice continued… Carefully planned progression/ fluency within each chapter saves a lot of time planning and finding resources. Teachers are confident to skip sessions or take more time on lessons or chapters depending upon the need of the children. Teachers share resources, especially Greater Depth activities and how to evidence this. Discussion has helped reinforce best practice Teachers are more confident for the future of maths knowing that as the pupils move up the year groups, and the shift in mind set becomes customary, the pedagogy behind the teaching of maths will become a natural part of each lesson Teachers feel more confident in sharing their experiences and asking for advice from colleagues

Although each of the members of the research group work in different schools covering 3 Key Stages with children who have a variety of academic and personal needs, we have found that through shared practice and collaborative thought we can help influence each others’ teaching styles and strategies. This has had positive results for us all. The fundamental needs of children as learners don’t change and through the process of supportive cohesive research we have all been able to reap the benefits and pass it onto the pupils that we work with.