Professional Development- Maths

What does a good Middle Years maths class look like?

• What is a good maths class?

• What structure do we put in place?

• How do we know if the students have learnt something?

• What are the students doing?

• What is the teacher doing?

• What is the environment like?

• Big picture – goal setting

• Explicit teaching

• Working Mathematically

• Reflection and feedback

• Assessment

This session encompasses many ‘best practice’ teaching and learning theories.  It can apply to any subject area, but this session will focus on mathematics in the Middle Years.  It will cover environment, expectations, preparation and planning, integration and differentiation to name a few.  Participants will take part in hands-on examples from a variety of content strands of mathematics.  These models will then be examined and analysed in regards to the reasoning behind the theory.

This session will help build the confidence of teachers working in Middle Years Maths Class and will certainly challenge their thinking about what they do in the classroom and why.

Developing Integrated Mathematics Projects

We can often be surprised by our students when they are working on a practical project and not thinking about or focusing on the mathematical skills that need to be applied in order to successfully complete the task.  This session will be very hands-on and will involve participants in such a project.  Participants will learn how to build an integrated Mathematics program around a project.  They will develop simple, but effective plans which recognize the skills being developed through the project – both mathematical skills and skills linked to other learning areas.

Discussion will focus on:

• the benefits of Working Mathematically on projects

• differentiating the curriculum

• engaging students

• inclusive curriculum

• how this fits the proposed Australian Curriculum

Participates will take away a sound but simple planning structure for integrated program planning, a clearer understanding of what it means to ‘Work Mathematically’ and see how other curriculum areas can be easily integrated into the mathematics classroom.

Developing Inquiring Minds
Catering for Enrichment and Extension in the Classroom

We work hard on ensuring our lower level students are well catered for, so surely our higher level students deserve to be catered for as well.  How do we challenge the higher level students within our multiple ability classrooms?    If just getting students to attain and maintain the levels that our curriculum expects is taking all your time and attention, then this PD will show you how you can enrich and extend the learning of your higher ability students and help them reach their potential without you having to spend a lot of time preparing something completely different. 

The focus of this PD is to be able to recognize and develop methods and strategies to cater for multiple ability classrooms with particular focus on the higher achievers.  Participants will take part in some sample lessons which will then be analysed in detail in order to identify the components that lead to developing an inquiring mind.  Lesson plans will also be provided to illustrate how the scaffolding would look. 

Discussion will revolve around the teacher’s role and will include:

• Planning

• goal setting

• strategies

• expectations

• scaffolding

• questioning

• providing choice

• and reflection

Mathematics Proficiency Standards

This PD looks closely at what the proposed ‘Proficiency Standards’ in the draft of the Australian Curriculum means and why it is important.  It looks at how we ‘teach’ it and how we know our students have ‘learnt’ it.  Although theoretical and analytical in nature, this session will involve lots of hands on activities as examples as well as an introduction to the proposed Australian Curriculum.  Participants will leave the session with much more confidence about the application, the teaching and the assessment of the ‘Proficiency Standards’ in the proposed Australian Curriculum.

DEVELOPING THINKING IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM

Participants will explore the outcomes that can be achieved by setting up a positive learning environment where thinking in the Mathematics classroom is promoted and expected. 

Participants will not only leave this hands-on session with some ready-made engaging maths activities which they will be able to implement immediately, but will also feel comfortable using a range of thinking tools and strategies enabling them to deliver a differentiated maths curriculum for  Middle Years classrooms.  Activities will be linked to the E5 Instruction model and discussion will centre around quality Middle Years classroom practices.

DEVELOPING ICT IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM

Using computer technology to enhance mathematics in the Middle Years is the focus of this hands-on session.   Although there are thousands of websites available with great activities to engage students whilst practicing important skills, this session is more about integrating ICT to develop, present and enhance mathematical investigations.  The focus will be providing engaging mathematical activities but you will find that many ICT outcomes will be achieved at the same time.  Attention will also be given as to how the activities fit the E5 instructional model in the differentiated Middle Years classroom.

PROMOTING THINKING IN THE MATHS CLASSROOM

This session is about setting up a positive learning environment where thinking is both promoted and expected in the Mathematics classroom.  It makes the most of engaging activities, whilst recognizing the requirements of multiple ability Middle Years classrooms. 

Participants will not only leave this hands-on session with some ready-made engaging activities which they will be able to implement immediately, but will also be rewarded with the development of their own skills and strategies to be able to elicit a lot more from their own teaching and learning activities by invoking deeper thinking in their students, and a willingness for them to explore mathematical possibilities.

A number of examples will be used to illustrate the expectations required, and questioning needed, in order to develop deeper understanding and encourage students to make logical mathematical predictions.  Participants will be involved in developing questioning techniques that require their students to move beyond the straightforward answer, to appreciating the real value of working mathematically. 

THINKING BY CREATING

This session will utilize thinking strategies and planning techniques, as well as creating and making activities that make students think.  Participants in this session will learn how easy it is to create activities with their students, and as they do so, learn the formula for getting their students involved in, engaged with and thinking about the mathematics they are doing.

Reflection is an integral part of the session and discussion will focus on the issues of catering for all abilities, and the development of ‘thinking’ students.  Participants will be involved in making some activities during the session and will depart armed with lots of ideas and enthusiasm to create further activities and programs that will stimulate thinking in their own classrooms. 

Bring along a laptop and/or a USB in order to share creations.  

FOSTERING POSITIVE ATTITUDES TO MATHS

This session aims to give students positive experiences in Mathematics through enjoyment of confidence-building activities.  It aims to demonstrate, review and create engaging tasks to motivate students to learn.  The tasks will build the knowledge and confidence needed, without being too tedious.  They will help prime the students’ minds to want to succeed and to be more prepared to immerse themselves into challenging situations. 

Through hands on activities and reflective discussions, participants in this session will depart with an array of games and activities that they can use in their own classrooms the very next day along with the confidence to apply what they have learnt in this session to create many other invaluable activities suited to the needs of the students with which they work.

KITES-DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED MATHS PROJECT

Participants will make kites in this session as an example of a hands-on project around which we will build an integrated Maths program.  Participants will tease out the maths (and other domains) involved in the project and develop a simple, but effective plan. Discussion will focus on:

• the benefits of Working Mathematically on projects such as this

• differentiating the curriculum

• engaging students

• inclusive curriculum

Participates will take away a sound but simple planning structure for integrated program planning, a clearer understanding of what it means to ‘Work Mathematically’ and see how other curriculum areas can be integrated into the mathematics classroom.

TAKING MATHS TO HIGHER LEVELS

“To increase the likelihood of Australia sustaining a position on the cutting edge of research design in Science, Engineering, and Technology, school learning environments need to stimulate and nurture creative mathematical thinking.” 

(Williams. Gaye, 2002 “Identifying tasks that promote creative thinking in Mathematics: a tool.  Research report for the Mathematical Education Research Group of Australasia. University of Melbourne)

This workshop is aimed at teachers of Middle Years students and aims to ensure opportunities are given for students to engage higher order thinking as part of their mathematics education.  In classrooms much time is spent at the foundation level, and often opportunities aren’t given to challenge students to apply their learning at a much higher level.  This workshop will engage participants in a number of examples from different dimensions in order for them to experience the difference.  They will notice their students move from saying…’the answer is….’ into saying… ‘the possibilities are….’  When they complete this workshop they will see how their teaching can make a universal difference. Although this PD is based on theory, it is a very practical, hands-on workshop designed for everyday classroom teachers.

DOTS IN THE RIGHT PLACES
Decimals, Fractions, Percentages and Ratios

So many of our Middle Years students find these areas of basic number so confusing and yet these form the foundations of our whole understanding of our world of measurement and finance.  This workshop will not supply teachers with impossible tricks or fancy equipment, just down-to-earth, hands-on methods that work.

This workshop is designed for Middle Years teachers, and offers participants:

• Reflective discussion around reasons for the lack of confidence in this area

• Effective language associated with understanding these concepts

• Hands-on activities to assist understanding

• Opportunities to identify the real life applications

• An understanding of the scope and sequence of teaching these concepts

• Great projects that can help develop these concepts

GROWING MATHEMATICS

This Middle Years Maths session is about growing a good activity into an even better one; growing learners into better learners; and growing knowledge into more knowledge. 

The session begins with an engaging challenge.  It then uses an integrated learning approach to lead participants through a number of learning activities that could be explored after it. 

Best Teaching and Learning practices will be identified throughout, and participants will be guided in developing mini units during the session.   A number of maths examples will be grown.  Attention will be paid to learning styles, thinking strategies and to catering for all abilities within the class.   

All examples used will be suitable for application to any Middle Years Maths classrooms and participants can grow them into even better outcomes for their students.

SOME REMEDIES FOR THE ‘I HATE MATHS’ SYNDROME
Strategies for Enhancing Middle Years Numeracy

This PD focuses on engagement and success and will involve active participation in hands-on activities by all participants.  It encompasses ‘best practice’ in numeracy teaching with middle years students and incorporates differentiated curriculum, multiple intelligences, thinking strategies and organizers, reflections on current practices and an investigation of real life applications. 

Much of the groundwork for this presentation comes from the presenter’s extensive experience with ‘youth at risk’ groups, but has also been applied very successfully in the ‘normal’ middle years classroom.  Insight into some of the symptoms, causes and remedies for the ‘I hate maths’ syndrome are exposed – which includes scrutiny of teaching methodology.

REAL MATHS
Strategies for Enhancing Middle Years Numeracy

Simple message – make it real.  Sounds good – but how?  How, is the focus of this PD, and planning and questioning are two of the key components.  It shares some very simple but effective planning tools and encourages the use of the local community and environment to make it real.  It looks at identifying outcomes and the break-down of skills needed to achieve these outcomes and how these can be achieved in a meaningful way.  This PD also looks at ways of lifting the profile of mathematics amongst the students, the school and the community.

Throughout this PD, participants will not only be listening, discussing and reflecting, but be experiencing each component in a hands-on way so that when the day is finished they will already be putting into practice what they have learnt ready to apply it with their own classes straight away.

STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING MATHS IN THE MIDDLE YEARS

• Evaluating current Teaching and Learning practices

• Disengagement – discussing the issues

• Strategies to consider

• Consistency/Routine

• Variety of Presentation

• Clear instruction and direction

• Making Maths enjoyable

• Provision for all abilities

• Some activities to try

• Feedback and Evaluation

• Other administrative considerations

NUMERACY TEACHING FOR TRADE TEACHERS

This PD will identify some of the key numeracy concepts that seem to be commonly causing concerns with the teaching of apprentices and pre-apprentices.

It will focus on Teaching and Learning Strategies to assist in being able to identify components within skills and a variety of practical strategies which can be used to help students in understanding these concepts.

Some of the specific topics covered will include:

• Decimals

• Fractions

• Percentages

• Measurement

• Conversions

• Estimation

Others will be negotiated during the session.

MEASUREMENTS BEYOND

        This workshop looks at measurements beyond those used in everyday life:

• Using prefixes much greater than kilos and much smaller than millilitres

• Expressing these numbers in scientific notation

• Investigating base units of measurement other than grams, litres and metres

• Researching the tools used in these measurements and how they work

The workshop focuses on this very successful unit of work run with a Gifted and Talented group of grade 5 and 6’s, and highlights what can be done when children are given the opportunity and leadership, and they are taught to aim high. Strategies for working with these types of children, including the integration of communication skills, are discussed; and activities to handle difficult topics easily are shared. All is most applicable to the secondary sector as well.

E-Maths CD

A program designed to link Gifted and Talented Maths students from many different classrooms and offer them engaging and challenging alternatives to their every-day Maths program, without the students being out of their classrooms for long periods of time.

E-Maths uses ICT as its vehicle and e-mail as its communication forum. It develops not only the Maths skills of the students involved but also the ICT Thinking, Communication, Design, Personal and Interpersonal Learning skills.

With an E-Teacher co-ordinating the program and providing feedback to students and teachers, it means that students receive timely and helpful individual feedback and teachers are kept well informed as to the progress of students from their classes.
Testmonials

On the E-Maths CD you will find:

*A Training Manual
*Teacher's Record Sheet
*Rubric
*Student Letter
*8 Challenges - in 2 sets of 4
*An Introductory Workshop Challenge
*Student Workshop Presentation
*Teacher PD Presentation
*Sample Student Evaluation
*Order Form

You can find additional support by visiting
E-Maths Teacher Support Group

An Example of a Challenge Page
Building Blocks - Shape and Design
Challenge Page is a sample activity page arranging coloured blocks to complete a design according to the instructions listed. Students are asked to complete their designs using computer tools of drawing, colour filling. arranging and grouping.

An Example of student response: Murray Valley Building Blocks
Murray Valley Building Blocks is a sample of E-Maths student work and results based on the Challenge Page of Building Blocks

CHALLENGING MATHS TASKS

The Challenging Maths Tasks are designed to extend Middle Years Mathematics Students. They are interactive and differentiated in nature. They expect students to apply the skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom to the new and different situations presented. In many cases students may need to ask further questions of themselves in order to be able to complete their investigations.

The tasks offer a huge variety of topics and mathematical concepts but all expect the student to work mathematically in order to be able to complete the tasks. Students are encouraged to present their responses by utilizing their computer skills. They should explain and justify each of their responses. (Can be used as e-maths tasks)

Responses will be judged on accuracy, clarity of explanation or justification; and complexity in regard to depth of investigation. Answers are provided where possible but due to the open ended nature of many of the questions, this cannot always be done.

Some sample answers or other assistance has been provided to help students if need be. An evaluation rubric has also been provided to both help direct students in what is expected and to assist the teacher. This resource can be used with the E-Maths program (©TMELA Education) but each one of the tasks provided on the CD is a stand-alone task and no particular order is required.

Curriculum Links are provided with the alphabetical index (main menu), and it is suggested that tasks be chosen to link with what others in the classroom are also studying at the time. All tasks provided on this CD promote the use of ICT and encourage students to use various computer applications to best present their work, but most tasks can also be simply printed off and worked on in pen and paper style if preferred.

See more information

(©2010 Linda Anania TMELA Education Australia)

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