Wishing educators and students everywhere a very Happy New Year.
Visit the page Happy New Year for ideas for Mathematics classrooms.
Happy New Year – 2017
Monthly Archives: December 2016
Resolutions for (Maths) Teachers
Direct download – Powerpoint File: 2016-2017-resolutions-for-maths-teachers
or as a pdf: 2016-2017-resolutions-for-maths-teachers
(The presentation hyperlinks work in both formats.)
A new year tradition of my own is to review my resolutions for the new Academic Year so the presentation here has been checked and also updated where any new information is available.
For readers familiar with this presentation, note updates include:
(Images link to relevant information)
A reminder about all the brilliant Diagnostic Examination Questions.
Remember Carol Dweck’s wise words.
‘The outcomes are natural byproducts of engaging in good practice’.
There have been several updates to the specification series of pages since September.
Note this post on Assessment Updates with a December presentation from Ofqual on GCSE grading and A Level news from OCR who have had a specification approved. heir
More on diagrams…
How to Study.
The Learning Scientists have published their excellent and important video on Study Strategies.
For Students.
A complete update of recommendations for students.
Reading and Research
I have made several updates to this series of pages, particularly the Research page which includes Espressos from Cambridge Mathematics.
….and finally, an updated 11 Commandments of Mathematics.
The presentation has also been added to my Presentations Series.
Numbers – Visualizations
I have several references in various places on this blog to some great visualizations.
Time to put them all together!
Jeffrey Ventrella’s Composite Number Tree
From Jeffrey Ventrella this wonderful Composite Number Tree – I have used this successfully with many students. It makes a great starter. Students can work out themselves how the tree is being formed and comment on any patterns they notice.
Stephen Von Worley
Brent Yorgey
Another excellent visualization, animated factorization diagrams comes from Data Pointed. And here is Stephen Von Worley’s blog post, Dance, Factors, Dance which tells the tale of the animation. Noting his reference to Brent Yorgey’s factorization diagrams led me to Brent’s own later post, More factorisation Diagrams. I love Brent’s use of colour here. If you want even more on these great diagrams he has more information and links on this page on his blog, The Math Less Traveled.
Fawn Nguyen – Visual patterns
From Fawn Nguyen comes the brilliant Visual patterns, note the menu; the Gallery includes blog posts from teachers and students who’ve used visual patterns in their classrooms.
On the subject of Diagrams generally I have several posts on the subject.
Assessment Updates
GCSE 9 to 1 Grading
From Ofqual, December 2016, very usefully note that a clear transcript of this session is available from Ofqual as a 5 page pdf document
…and read the 9 to 1 news!
See also Comparing like with like in 2017 and note too this recent statement from AQA on Grade Boundaries.
I have updated the GCSE Reform page. Also kept up to date with further updates to come shortly, see GCSE New Content.
A Level Mathematics
Use this Twitter List to see updates from all the exam boards. As you can see @Ofqual are making announcements about accredited specifications. OCR Maths has been accredited.
I have updated the A Level Reform page.
How To Study
Really important – talk to your students about how to study not just what to study.
A common theme of my own – Mini Tests / Retrieval Practice.
For valuable resources to support the techniques described here, see: The Learning Scientists. See their blog for more information and note the excellent downloadable materials on study strategies including Retrieval Practice. Note this meta-analysis of 217 Retrieval Practice Studies.
..and appropriately – last words from a student:
