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Mixed Attainment Mathematics Conference
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On the 17th June 2017 we are holding the second mixed attainment maths conference. This is a conference for secondary school teachers of mathematics who are keen to develop ways of working with mixed-attainment groups. The first mixed-attainment mathematics teaching conference took place at the University of Birmingham in January 2017 and Sheffield Hallam University have kindly offered to house this second conference. Workshops will be organised by people who are currently teaching, or who have taught mathematics in mixed-attainment classrooms from KS3 to KS4.The intention is to share practices through active participation regarding strategies, ideas and resources for teaching in mixed-attainment classrooms.
The aim of those organising the conference is: To help form a community of teachers who share a common belief in social justice and the value of not separating children into groups according to some notion of their (fixed) ‘ability.’
The aim of those organising the conference is: To help form a community of teachers who share a common belief in social justice and the value of not separating children into groups according to some notion of their (fixed) ‘ability.’
'With respect to making accessible the deep structure of any given discipline, I think the rule holds that any subject can be taught to any child at any age in some form that is both honest and powerful. It is a premise that rests on the fact that more complex abstract ideas can in fact be rendered in an intuitive, operational form that comes within reach of any learner to aid him (sic) towards the more abstract idea yet to be mastered.'
Bruner, J. S. (1972), The relevance of education, Trowbridge: Redwood Press Ltd
Bruner, J. S. (1972), The relevance of education, Trowbridge: Redwood Press Ltd
Michael Ollerton
Introducing and developing trigonometry with mixed-attainment Y10/Y11 classes:
People frequently say to me it would not be possible or be of any use to teach trigonometry to “bottom set” or “less able” pupils. I totally reject such a viewpoint. In this workshop I intend to illustrate, via trigonometry, why and how I base my values upon the above quote from Bruner. Michael is a Freelance mathematics education consultant. @MichaelOllerton
Zebedee Friedman
Ideas for teaching mixed tier classes at KS4
In my workshop I’d like to share some revision approaches that worked for me when teaching a class of 50 mixed attainment learners in year 11, sitting Foundation and Higher tier exams. And what a troop of ten actors had to do with it! Zebedee is a mathematics teacher in Wales and a mathematics education consultant. @zebfriedman
Sam Hoggard
Extending the highest prior attainers using number theory
Participants will be invited to engage in tasks, no knowledge of number theory required, and reflect on this experience. Sam is a Mathematics teacher in Oxford.
@Sam_Hoggard |
Andrew Blair
Inquiry maths and mixed attainment classes
Inquiry Maths is a model of learning mathematics that was devised and developed in mixed attainment classrooms. It encourages students to regulate their own activity while exploring a prompt. An Inquiry Maths lesson starts with students' questions and conjectures and can involve diverse pathways. Inquiry guarantees inclusiveness, cohesion and equity as all contributions add to the findings of the class. Participants at the workshop will experience the excitement, unpredictability and creativity of classroom inquiries. Andrew is the leader of a mathematics department in Camden. @inquirymaths
Helen Hindle
Ensuring support and challenge for all students in mixed attainment classes
I often get asked, as a teacher of mixed-attainment mathematics classes, "How do you manage to ensure all students are both challenged and supported?" In this session I will bring examples of strategies and tasks I frequently use to seek to achieve these outcomes. Helen is the leader of a mathematics department in Rainham, East London. @helenhindle1
Colin Jackson
Cre8ate Maths
Over the last 10 years the Mathematics Education Centre at Sheffield Hallam has developed a number of free mathematics resources through the cre8ate maths and Maths in Context projects. They are suitable for use with students of all attainment levels but in particular KS3. This workshop will be a brief hands-on introduction to some of the cre8ate maths materials. Colin is a teacher educator and researcher. He has recently left Sheffield Hallam University.
@colfmjac |
Mark Horley
Keeping everyone moving: experiences of introducing mixed-attainment with Y7 & Y8 classes
This session will seek to explore how to challenge the thinking of all learners in a mixed attainment setting and keep everyone learning. We will look at how mastery approaches that emphasise the whole class moving forward together work in practice when you have learners who may be at different starting points. Mark is a teacher in a Secondary School in London. @mhorley
Leann de Belder
Problem-Solving in a mixed-attainment class
In this session we will look at effective ways of using open-ended problems and developing problem solving strategies in a mixed attainment classroom. We will focus on KS3, but the same format could be applied elsewhere. Leann is a KS3 mathematics leader and teacher in London. @LMPeters16
Tom Francome
Grid Algebra: Developing fluency with formal notation
Algebra is often seen as a hard to teach topic particularly for some groups of learners but do there have to be difficulties? In this session I offer an approach to working with the whole class 'economically' using Dave Hewitt's ideas of subordination to work on formal algebraic notation. This session might be useful if you've never used Grid Algebra but you believe all learners are capable of thinking algebraically. Tom is a mathematics teacher and Lecturer in Secondary Mathematics at the University of Birmingham.
@TFrancome Hilary Povey
Working with number
Working with number is a central focus of the KS3 curriculum. We will look at some ideas from Smile Mathematics (https://smilemaths.wordpress.com/) that can be used in all attainment Y7 classes to develop number sense and skills. Hilary is a professor of mathematics education at Sheffield Hallam University and is involved in mathematics curriculum development. |