Educationeducation Improving Scottish Stirling Mathematics Conference

education Improving Scottish

Stirling Mathematics Conference


Curriculum for Excellence top 10

10. 2010:S1 cohort

9. 2009: Experiences & outcomes

8. the 8 curriculum areas

7. the 7 design principles

6. the 6 entitlements


Curriculum for Excellence top 105. will build on the best of 5-14

4. the 4 aspects of the curriculum

3. coherent 3-18 programme

2. 2002 National Debate

1. no one single Curriculum for Excellence


Curriculum for Excellencedesign principles

• challenge and enjoyment • breadth • progression • depth• personalisation and choice • coherence• relevance


IMPROVING SCOTTISH EDUCATION2005-2008

“Many young people are not making the progress they should from the middle stages of primary until well into their secondary education. Difficulties with literacy and numeracy and an apparent reluctance or inability to engage with demanding areas of learning such as mathematics, science and modern languages can become entrenched at these stages.”


Challenge and enjoymentEffective challenge includes teachers setting tasks

and activities which :• are of increasing levels of complexity or

abstraction;• continually develop, reinforce and extend

understanding;• rely on learners making connections to, and

building on, their prior mathematical learning;


Challenge and enjoyment

As part of learning teachers need to promote positive attitudes to mathematics and an understanding of how it equips young people with many of the skills required for life, learning and work.


Challenge and Enjoyment• Are young people challenged through

increasingly complex mathematical questions and problems?

• Are young people actively involved in learning mathematics, or do they spend long periods completing routine exercises from textbooks which do not challenge their thinking?


Breadth and Depth

Is there time and space within the curriculum for young people to experience breadth of learning?

Are there opportunities to explore concepts in depth, to develop and refine understanding and explore learning through a variety of tasks and activities?


Progression

Are curricular pathways ensuring appropriate skills progression for groups and individuals, building effectively on prior learning?


Coherence

Do teachers use their mathematical knowledge to ensure that concepts, skills and understanding are developed in a coherent and logical way?

Is learning connected to important mathematical concepts prior to and beyond the level currently being taught?


Relevance• Do young people understand the purpose of

their learning?• Do they see real life contexts where they would

apply their learning?• Do young people learn to apply their practice

problems and exercises in mathematics to develop skills, make connections, reflect and explain their reasoning?


4 Aspects of the Curriculum

• Ethos and life of the school as a community

• Curriculum areas and subjects

• Interdisciplinary projects and studies

• Opportunities for personal development


Interdisciplinary• Can take the form of individual one-off projects

or longer courses of study• Is planned around clear purposes• Is based upon E’s & O’s drawn from different

curriculum areas or subjects within them• Ensures progression in skills and in knowledge

and understanding• Can provide opportunities for mixed stage

learning which is interest based.


successful learners•Are motivated and enthusiastic about learning mathematics because they understand why the topic is being taught.

•Think flexibly about how to apply their skills and enjoy having to puzzle out an answer

•Use technology effectively to save time in routine calculation and demonstrate understanding by sketching graphs.

•Understand how their mathematical knowledge can be used and apply appropriate strategies to solve problems in a range of contexts and across learning.

confident individuals•Use a range of mathematical and numeracy skills across learning and everyday life.

•Are independent, mathematical thinkers who can discuss and explain their reasoning.

•Use their mathematical and numeracy skills to provide evidence for informed decisions.

•Collaborate effectively to solve problems.

responsible citizens•Interpret numerical information to draw conclusions based on fact and not on opinion or prejudice.

•Interpret tables and graphs to assess trends and can use their conclusions to take and justify decisions.

•Evaluate data to gain an accurate view of a situation and make informed choices.

•Recognize the importance and role of mathematics within society.

effective contributors•Have an enterprising, ‘can do’ attitude.

•Work productively in teams to solve problems and reach decisions.

•Are motivated and enjoy being challenged.

•Apply critical thinking skills in different contexts.

•Are not afraid to take risks and can solve problems.

To enable all youngpeople to becomefour capacities skills and attributes


Pedagogy• challenge

• pace

• formative assessment

• learning independently

• active learning

• personalisation


Listening to learnersDoes listening to young people result in change?Do teacher’s change their thinking in light of what

learners say?Listening involves:• openness to information, verbal and otherwise,

from learners;• consideration of possible interpretation of this

information and• action based on this information.


Questioning?

Shifting from

Do you understand ? to

What do you understand about…?

signals a change from learners telling you about something you know to your listening to what they know.


Where the learner is

goingWhere the learner is How to get there

Teacher

Engineering effective discussions, tasks and

activities that elicit evidence of learning

Providing feedback that

moves learners forward

Peer

Clarify, understand and share learning

intentions

Activating students as learning

resources for one another

LearnerActivating students as owners

of their own learning

Assessment is for Learning


Well-paced lessons

• Well established routines and systems (e.g. time targets, sharing of successful learning approaches, clearly specified learners’ roles in collaborative and group work, effective use of resources and homework, and a lesson structure including starter activities and round-up).

• Have clear direction of travel and shared purpose.• Ensure that a high proportion of time is spent on active

learning tasks with minimum interruptions of any sort.• Have a level of personalisation to match the range of needs

in the class.• High levels of learner stimulation and engagement in

thinking.


Active learning

Young people are active in their learning when they:

• think deeply about mathematical ideas and concepts and construct their own understanding about them; and

• use their existing skills and knowledge in different contexts, test out their ideas and conjectures, and solve problems.


Inspectionexpectation that teachers are:• reflective and self-evaluative • ready to engage in professional discussion• committed to continuous improvement

starting with the department’s self-evaluation• what are your strengths?• how do you know?• what improvements are you working on just now?• why?• how are you going about it?


Curriculum for Excellence:what HMIE expects in 2009/2010

• look below the headings of the 4 capacities• think hard about the entitlements & design principles• engaging with the outcomes and experiences• reflect on your approaches to learning and teaching• Building the Curriculum 3

- what does it mean for you?

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Educationeducation Improving Scottish Stirling Mathematics Conference