1. Maths Workshop October 2017

2. Real maths is visual, exciting and accessible
Real maths is visual, exciting and accessible. It is about making mistakes, being creative and working deeply, not quickly, on tasks.

3. BRAIN PLASTICITY
Studies have shown the capacity of the brain to grow and change
When we learn a new idea, an electrical current fires in our brains, crossing synapses and connecting different areas of the brain.
If you learn something deeply, the synaptic activity will create lasting connections in your brain, forming pathways.
If you only visit an idea once or in a superficial way, the synaptic connections can ‘wash away’ like pathways in the sand.
If you learn slowly and deeply the pathway becomes more defined: this enables the brain to make connections more quickly and easily.

4. 7 key messages Everyone can learn maths to the highest levels
Mistakes are valuable
Questions are really important
Maths is about creativity and making sense
Maths is about connections and communicating – successful mathematicians search for patterns and relationships and think about connections.
Maths is about learning not performing
Depth is more important than speed

5. Everyone can learn maths to the highest levels
Children need to understand that they can achieve at any maths level and to understand that there is no such thing as a maths person.
They need to have a growth mindset – believing that they can learn anything, and the more they practise the better they will become.

6. Mistakes are valuable
Encourage children with mistakes to explain them so that everyone can learn from them.
When children get something wrong –say “your brain just grew! Synapses are firing, that’s really good”
Even if you don’t know you’ve made a mistake your brain grows – when something is harder the brain is challenged
‘Mistakes are expected, inspected and respected’

7. THE IMPORTANCE OF NUMBER SENSE
Number sense is being able to work flexibly with numbers.
For example: when given a problem such as 21-6, a child with number sense might choose to change the problem to A child who does not yet have number sense might choose to start on 21 and count back 6, which is difficult to do and prone to error. The difference between the two children is not that one knows more than the other but that the child who counted back has clung to a formal procedure they have been taught even when it is not the best way to solve a problem

8. Maths is about learning, not performing
Many children think that their role in maths lessons is not to learn but to get questions right – to perform. It is important for them to know that maths is about learning, and to know that maths is a growth subject, it takes time to learn and it is all about effort.
Our emphasis on the growth mindset and the use of formative assessment strategies rather than testing is key in helping the children to understand this message.

9. Maths is about connections and communicating
We encourage children to represent their understanding in different forms e.g. words, a picture, a number sentence, as a diagram and to link between them.

10. Multiple representations
13 ÷ 4 = 3 remainder 1
Tens
Ones
Show your staff the different representations.
(i) Counters shared between 4 Can be done physically with bean bags and hoops or counters and circles. However the grid is ideal for bar modelling (sharing).
(ii) Grouping with place value counters Start by making the number 13. This could also be done with base 10. Look at the tens: can I make any groups of 4? No, but can I make an exchange? Yes, I exchange one ten for ten ones. I can make 3 groups of 4 with one left over.
(iii) Rods and rulers for repeated subtraction We want to see how many fours go into 13. Pupils should start at 13 on their rulers and use the Cuisenaire rod that is worth 4. They must always arrive at 0. Three whole fours with 1 left over go into 13.
(iv) Numicon encourage grouping Start by making the number 13. How many fours go into 13? Place the number four alongside the number 13. Three fours with one left over make 13.

11. A range of resources
Discuss the different resources displayed and explain that concrete options are endless. Concrete resources are simply practical items that pupils can hold and manipulate to help them explore abstract mathematical concepts and the relationships between them.
After slide 4, share the White Rose Maths Hub video, The importance of concrete. Give teachers time to discuss what they like and/or dislike about the video and explore the key messages.

12. MASTERY IN MATHS
A mastery curriculum is designed in relatively small carefully sequenced steps , which must each be mastered before children move to the next stage.
The focus is on the development of deep structural knowledge and the ability to make connections.
Making connections in mathematics deepens knowledge of concepts and procedures , ensures what is learnt is sustained over time, and cuts down the time required to assimilate and master later concepts and techniques

13. CONCRETE-PICTORIAL-ABSTRACT
We believe that all children, when introduced to a new concept, should have the opportunity to build competency by taking this approach.
Children have the opportunity to use concrete objects and resources to help them understand what they are doing.
Alongside this children use pictorial representations. These representations can then be used to help reason and solve problems.
Both concrete and pictorial representations support children’s understanding of abstract methods.
When you go to your classes you will be able to see the range of resources available to the children to show their thinking in maths.