Embedding employability skills in teaching maths Janice Richards MEI Tricia Hartley Campaign for Learning Jamie Allen Ravens Wood School

Session Outline Learning in ways that develop employability skills Case study: A coaching and mentoring programme Group discussion What are employability skills and who needs them?

Your contributions are welcome. Please do share your experience and expertise.

In pairs… In 1 minute: List at least 5 employability skills that can be developed at school/college Identify 1 which is particularly well facilitated by learning maths

What are employability Skills?

Who needs them?

Source: The CBI Education and Skills Survey 2011 …from school leavers

“Over two thirds of employers (70%) want to see the development of employability skills among young people at school and college made a top priority – this does not require a new qualification but rather embedding the skills in the curriculum, as the best schools and colleges already do.” Source: The CBI Education and Skills Survey 2011

…to graduates 1 in 12 graduates without work six months after leaving education and 40% failing to get graduate- calibre posts more than two years after graduation. Levels of employer satisfaction with the employability skills of graduates are higher than for school and college leavers, but there are still alarming weaknesses in skills around team working (20%) and problem-solving (19%). The government wants universities to better collaborate with industry and made key recommendations to improve graduate employability.

What has this got to do with teaching maths?

It may help to engage students “Maths lessons are seen as difficult, irrelevant and boring by about a third of teenagers…” “Teenagers had clear ideas about how maths teaching could be improved, with 54% saying it should be geared to more practical scenarios.”

Mathematics: made to measure, Ofsted 2012: It remains a concern that secondary pupils seemed so readily to accept the view that learning mathematics is important but dull. They frequently told inspectors that in other subjects they enjoyed regular collaboration on tasks in pairs or groups and discussion of their ideas, yet they often did not do so in their mathematics lessons, or even expect to do so. It may be approved of by Ofsted

It may even improve the learning of maths…

Learning in ways that develop employability skills Tricia Hartley, Chief Executive, Campaign for Learning Rearrange these words: Grandmother Eggs Teaching …

Rearrange these words phrase: Source: CBI Skills Survey 2009

Lifelong Learning?

Learning to Learn Action Research Programme 11 year action research programme in schools, extending into FE and HE Explored what works in creating confident, competent lifelong learners Based on introducing classroom change, evaluating impact, sharing & analysing results Partnership with 5 Local Authorities, 2 FE Colleges, 3 Universities Identified positive impacts on students’ achievement, motivation, self esteem – and teacher morale!

Sutton Trust/ EEF Pupil Premium Toolkit 2013 InterventionCost Rating Strength of Evidence Average Impact Feedback ££ *** + 8 months Metacognition & self- regulation ££ **** + 8 months Peer tutoring ££ **** + 6 months Early Years intervention £££££ **** + 6 months One to one tuition ££££ **** + 5 months Homework (secondary) £ *** + 5 months Collaborative learning £ **** + 5 months www://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit

“ Since we cannot know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned." John Holt: ‘How Children Fail’, 1966

Case study: Ravens Wood School’s Coaching and Mentoring Programme

Leading by Example Jamie Allen Chairman of the Sixth Form Leadership Group Ravens Wood School Mathematics Department

Sixth Form Leadership Group Sixth Form Leadership Group

Taking Classes

Revision

Ma3

The Chairmen Ben Andrews Jack Jewell Jamie Allen

Coaching and Mentoring Coaches and Mentors

One to One Mentoring

Leading Lessons

ILM Level 2 Coaching and Mentoring Accreditation

Key Characteristics Honesty Active Listener Leadership Ambition Organisational Skills Empathy Passion Teamwork Integrity

Diversity of Mentoring

There is an inspiring culture of peer mentoring and support, and competition at the highest end of the attainment spectrum that continually raises the bar and pushes the boundaries. The Final Word from Jack Jack Jewell, Chairman

Group discussion 1.Think of 2 ways in which you already develop employability skills in your lessons (2 mins) 2.Working in pairs, identify 2 new ways in which you could do this. (5 mins) 3.Share 1 new way with the group (5 mins)

Group discussion: New approaches

Conclusion Thank you for your contributions today Do you think these ideas might help you in your teaching? Should MEI develop these ideas any further?

Some ideas to take away Class discussions Communication skills - Property Tycoon activity Property-Tycoon / Property-Tycoon / Developing team-working skills ILM Coaching and Mentoring level 2 Award for Young Learners: m.com/~/media/ILM%20Website/Documents/Information%20f or%20centres/BulkVRQs/Bulk%20VRQs/Qual_Spec_L2_Awa rd_in_Mentoring_for_YL_Oct_2011%20pdf.ashx m.com/~/media/ILM%20Website/Documents/Information%20f or%20centres/BulkVRQs/Bulk%20VRQs/Qual_Spec_L2_Awa rd_in_Mentoring_for_YL_Oct_2011%20pdf.ashx