Maths Think Differently
Maths: Let's Talk About It
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As a staff, discuss the importance of talking about maths, discussing ideas and listening to others explain their thinking.
Plan – NumCo preparation (approximately 2 hours)
- Staff complete the Start Line survey.
- NumCo considers.
- Feedback from the staff Start Line surveys
- Animation content, follow up discussion questions, action planning, and evaluation suggestions
- Useful links to research below
- Talk About Maths poster (available in Irish)
- Maths Think Differently bookmarks (available in Irish)
- NumCo decides on the staff development focus.
N.B. NumCo’s can use all of these resources or just a small part of them, whichever best meets the needs of the school
Below are some useful links about the importance of talking, explaining and listening during maths
Jane Currell (Maths No Problem, 2018)
Bernard Bagnell (NRich, 2011)
Do – Staff discussion (approximately 45 minutes) and changes to classroom practise (4-6 weeks)
N.B. It may be easier to facilitate discussion if staff are divided into smaller groups where they feel more comfortable.
- NumCo guides the resource use and discussion.
- Identify small changes for individual classrooms.
Remember: Changes don’t have to be big to have an impact!
For example:
- Stop responding "That's right" to the first explanation given by a pupil as the others assume that their thinking is wrong if it is different;
- Keep listening carefully to all of your pupils;and
- Start planning for productive talk and discussion during some maths lessons.
N.B. Staff may agree to work together to stop, keep or start the same strategy across the whole school or key stage, or each teacher may chose strategies specific to their individual classroom.
NumCo preparation (approximately 1 hour) and staff discussion (approximately 30 minutes)
- Staff complete the Impact Measure survey.
- NumCo plans feedback session.
- Staff discuss the impact of the changes and agree those to stop and those to keep.
- NumCo records the process and the impact measured.
N.B. Each NumCo will work at their own pace and every discussion will be unique to each staff group.