Thinking about the Maths

The year 11 and 12 have just finished Stats assignments – these are internally assessed but done in exam conditions in the classroom. The marking is bizarre and is supposed to be standards based so if a student can do a particular skill they pass that bit and another skill means they get merit and another excellence. It is not done as an overall percentage. This seems to be driven by other subjects and Maths is forced to fit in. They are also allowed to resubmit – no further teaching but a second chance to look at their paper see what they got wrong and have another go at those bits. The internal papers are set internally but sent away to be moderated both in terms of content of the paper but also on the marking. Not sure what I think about this but it seems like a lot of work- not unlike our coursework marking criteria but applied equally to less coursework like questions and topics.

I get the feeling that teaching the students have had is extremely traditional with an example of how to do a skill and then practise it 10 or 20 times. So much so that the textbooks on solving equations separated out x-3=10 and 20 Questions like this and then 20 on x + 3 = 14, 20 on 3x=18 and 20 on x/3=5 and then 20 all mixed up and then onto to the next micro step. So teaching Trig equations with year 12 there is no thinking involved and getting them to transfer skills is a struggle which only a few seem capable of at the moment. A large number of students from across the years are obsessed with getting notes – step by step instructions as to how to solve the particular problems. This is what they have been given plenty of in the past. No-one in the year 11 top group had an idea what proof was so using x to prove something in Geometry seemed alien. After much explaining they did eventually understand that using x was the same as doing every single number possible.

The vast majority seem really motivated by assessments – probably because the assessments are required to pass the year and certain credits are required for University entrance etc.

It is hard work addressing this attitude and so far I have tried different approaches: Saying I am not going to give you notes, that we need to decide together what you need to have notes on after you have done the work, just not giving any notes. I need to find a way to provide materials to revise from. This is not something I naturally as I would expect the students to write their own as we are going along and review them at home. I don’t really model this or talk about it so I doubt many students do it.

I am really looking forward to getting into some other classes both in the Maths department and outside so I can learn more about how things work and how I can improve.

I think much of what I have observed with the Maths department is not necessarily because it is in NZ but rather because they have taken a more traditional approach to teaching Maths and could just as easily be in the UK. The chances are that my next school wherever it is will be much more traditional in its approach to Maths teaching. My point for continued reflection is: How should I operate as a member and/or leader of a more traditional Maths department?