© Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary...

13
© Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy

Transcript of © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary...

Page 1: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools

Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy

Page 2: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Independent Review of Mathematics Teachingin Early Years Settings and Primary Schools

Recommendation 3: There should be at least

one Mathematics Specialist in each primary

school, in post within 10 years, with deep

mathematical subject and pedagogical

knowledge, making appropriate

arrangements for small and rural schools.

Page 3: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Mathematics Specialist Pathfinder Programme

Structure of the Pathfinder Programme:• Local half-day, half-termly meetings delivered by LA consultants• HEI face-to-face contact (Easter School)• The three key themes (subject knowledge, pedagogy and

working with colleagues) developed throughout all LA consultant and HEI-led sessions

• In-school activities set and agreed after each local meeting• Use of NCETM self-evaluation tools• Head teacher support of work of teacher in the school• Half-day visit to schools by the LA Lead Consultant to mentor

and coach teachers• Local mathematics networks established through half-day local

meetings• Professional Learning Log kept by teachers

Page 4: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Pathfinder Programme - lessons learned• Local meetings maintained momentum of the programme,

allowed teachers to collaborate in a small trusted group, to share practice, deepen understanding, review impact of and plan in-school activities.

• Small groups for local meetings ensured all participants could contribute with confidence.

• Engagement throughout the Easter School was very good, two-and-a half days judged long enough to sustain necessary level of engagement.

• Half-day school visits provided opportunity for personalised support, facilitated in-school tasks helping to ensure continued engagement of head and senior leadership team.

Page 5: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Pathfinder Programme – lessons learned• Success of programme relies on ensuring whole-school focus

is well understood and implemented; school rather than the individual teacher participates in the programme.

• Ongoing engagement of head teacher and recognition that this is a school improvement programme with a mathematics focus are both key.

• Most committed teachers developed their own subject knowledge enthusiastically. They saw the programme as a catalyst that helped them refocus their own professional development in mathematics and reinvigorated their personal learning.

Page 6: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Aims of the Mathematics Specialist Teacher programme• Provide each potential Mathematics Specialist teacher

with a Masters-level programme of training and professional support that is firmly based in improving classroom practice and provides them with the knowledge, skills and understanding to strengthen the learning and teaching of mathematics for all pupils in their school.

• Build additional mathematics capacity across the system so that primary schools have a mathematics champion or access to a mathematics champion who can be engaged in school improvement activities that will strengthen the quality of mathematics provision, narrow the gaps in attainment that currently exist by raising expectations in mathematics for all pupils.

Page 7: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

7

The Programme• National school improvement programme with a mathematics

focus• Funded by DCSF• Partnership between school, LA and HEI• Part-time over two years

• Five days HEI face-to-face contact• Six locally run half-day meetings• In-school activity• Self-supported study

• Masters-level• 60 CAT points• First cohort begins in January 2010 – target to recruit nearly

1800 teachers

Page 8: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

The Programme• Focus of programme on:

• Deepening subject knowledge• Developing pedagogy• Working with colleagues

• Covers progression EYFS to early KS3

• Relates theory to practice

• In-school focused work and personal analysis

• Builds skills of coaching and mentoring colleagues

Page 9: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Expected outcomes

• Support senior management team, informing and implementing school’s development plan, CPD provision

• Work alongside staff to identify their mathematical and professional needs, provide support and advice on CPD opportunities

• In-school support through coaching and lesson study that responds to and is integral to the school improvement plan to raise the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics

• Champion mathematics in the school and generate enthusiasm for learning the subject among children and their parents/carers

• Help with the mentoring of NQTs, ITT students on placement and teaching assistants within the school

Page 10: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Discussion questions

• As this is a school improvement programme with a mathematics focus:– How should the Mathematics Specialist Teacher best be

deployed by the school to take a lead in school improvement in mathematics?

– What key features need to be in place in the schools to ensure that the impetus for improving mathematics through the Mathematics Specialist Teacher programme is sustained and impacts on teaching and learning?

Page 11: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Longer-term vision

• The longer-term vision is that this group of skilled teachers champion the cause of mathematics in a local context, making the subject more attractive to children, colleagues and parents and that these local hubs of influence lead to improvements nationally with positive attitudes, high expectations and world-class mathematics education and high standards for all. This is in line with ambitions set out in the Schools White Paper: Your child, your schools, our future.

Page 12: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Discussion questions

• How do we make mathematics more attractive in primary schools and develop a positive culture based on ‘I can’ rather than ‘I cannot’?

• How can Mathematics Specialist Teachers engage in such systemic change as that outlined in the longer-term vision?

• What needs to be in place in the system to sustain improvements in mathematics in schools beyond the training programme?

Page 13: © Crown copyright 2009 Mathematics Specialist Teachers – Championing Mathematics in our Primary Schools Stephanie Suter, Primary National Strategy.

© Crown copyright 2009

Crown copyright• The content of this publication may be reproduced for non-commercial research, education or training purposes

provided that the material is acknowledged as Crown copyright, the publication title is specified, it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context.

• For any other use of this material please apply to OPSI for a Click-Use, PSI Licence, or by writing to:

Office of Public Sector Information

Information Policy Team

National Archives

Kew

Richmond

Surrey

TW9 4DU

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm

• The permission to reproduce Crown copyright protected material does not extend to any material in this publication which is identified as being the copyright of a third party, or to Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos, nor does it include the right to copy any photographic or moving images of children or adults in a way that removes the image or footage from its original context.

© Crown copyright 2009

13