COMO WEST MATHS INSERVICE 3-6

OverviewWhat does Mathematics look like in the classroom?Daily counting – Fast maths Focus unit and differentiated lessons incl. maths mentals How to help at homeWorking mathematically / Problem solving Questioning and mathematical language Mental strategiesSchool A-Z website / MathleticsHelping kids feel good about maths Activities to do at home

Daily counting – Fast maths A maths warm up is a five to ten minute activity that gets the students ready for their lesson.We use a variety of warm ups:• Fast Maths sheets – levelled from 1 to 100• Each student works at their own level Auditory – teacher call out the maths questions and student writes answersThese could be quick facts for example:5x4, 20/5, 125–26, 84 + 19 Innovative Technology• YouTube clips• Internet games

What is the purpose of a maths warm up? Studies indicate that by using maths warm ups:• they get students’ attention, • they focus students on maths, and the game/activity puts students in a

positive frame of mind prior to starting the math lesson. • Increase speed in the maths operations (x, +, -, /)• Increase confidence

Warm up can also encourage creative thinking:an example:The teacher might write on the interactive whiteboard:The answer is 17 – what is the question?Students brainstorm to think of all possible questions:16 + 1 8 ½ + 8 ½ 15.2 + 1.8

Displaying a picture of a stadium packed with people What question could we ask, even if we don’t know how to answer it yet?

Possible questions include:How many people are at the stadium?How much did people spend on tickets?How many hot dogs were sold at this game?

Maths warm ups are to get each students mind firing ready for the lesson ahead.

Como West Mathematics Program,Focus Units and Differentiated Lessons.

• This year it became mandatory for all N.S.W. schools to teach using the new Mathematics K-10 Syllabus.

• In Semester 1, 2014 our school began developing a new Mathematics program that aligned itself with the incoming Mathematics K-10 Syllabus as well as suiting the needs of our staff and students.

• In Semester 2, 2014 our school implemented the draft program and refined it ready to use for the start of 2015.

Focus Units• Each strand of Mathematics: Number and Algebra, Measurement

and Geometry and Statistics and Probability are covered in a yearly scope and sequence and are programed into focus units

• Focus units run for 3 weeks and include an aspect of Number and Algebra as well as an aspect of either Measurement and Geometry or Statistics and Probability

• During the 3 weeks the teacher will timetable in their lessons around these aspects. For example: Term 1 Weeks 1-3 focus unit is whole number, time and angles

• Once the focus unit has been taught the child is assessed on their learning

Differentiated Mathematics Lessons

• The new K-10 Mathematics syllabus is designed for students to keep achieving and moving along the Mathematics continuum

• Once children have mastered the concept they move along the continuum

• By the end of Year 4 children should be competent with all stage 2 outcomes taught and ready for stage 3 content

• Similarly, by the end of Year 6 children should be competent with all of stage 3 outcomes taught and ready for stage 4 content.

BUT….• Children master content when they have a full understanding

of what they have learnt. As we know, some children can grasp content quickly, while other students need more time and practice to grasp the content

• In Mathematics, it is important for children to master the concept before he/she can move forward

• In all mathematics lessons, what we teach has to be meaningful for every student in the class

• By differentiating lessons we can cater for every student in our class from where they are progressing on the continuum.

Working Mathematically Problem Solving

What are students doing when they’re Working Mathematically?Working Mathematically is the thinking and doing of mathematics. It is an essential part of the learning process. Working Mathematically provides students with the opportunity to engage in genuine mathematical activity and develop the skills to become flexible and creative users of mathematics

• COMMUNICATING

1. Describe, represent and explain mathematical situations, concepts, methods and solutions to problems.

2. Using appropriate mathematical language and terminology

3. Representing ideas in tables, diagrams, graphs, symbols, notation and conventions.

4. Reporting in oral, written or graphical forms

• PROBLEM SOLVING

1. Formulate and solve problems2. Design investigations and plan approaches3. Apply strategies to seek solutions4. Verify that answers are reasonable

• REASONING

1. Explaining their thinking2. Deduce and justify strategies used and conclusions reached3. Adapting what is known to the unknown 4. Transferring learning from one context to another5. Proving that something is true or false6. Explaining choices

• UNDERSTANDING

1. Make connections between related concepts2. Represent concepts in different ways3. Identify commonalities and differences between aspects of

content4. Describe their learning mathematically5. Interpret mathematical information

• FLUENCY

1. Choosing appropriate procedures2. Carrying out appropriate procedures flexible, accurately,

efficiently and appropriately3. Recall factual knowledge and concepts readily

Problem SolvingReciprocal Numeracy Explained

• DESCRIPTIONReciprocal numeracy is a collaborative problem solving strategy used to support student’s in comprehending text.

• PURPOSETo improve student’s understanding and unpacking of mathematics word problems.

A major problem students have when problem solving is at the ‘transformation stage’ ie. Selecting an appropriate strategy.

• HOW IT WORKSThe teacher and the students take it in turns to lead discussion and raise questions about the word problem. The teacher models through ‘think loud’ a series of steps students follow to solve and unpack word problems.

The follow prompts are provided to students as visual prompt cards or on a prompt page as a scaffold to support students internalising the process.

The prompts and specific metalanguage are explicitly modelled and taught.

A student wishing to solve a written mathematics problem typically has to work through the following steps:

Reciprocal Numeracy

Step 1

READ

Read the question carefully.

Circle any clunks (words).

Step 2

CLARIFY

Clarify the clunks (words) you don’t understand or can’t read.

Try • Rereading the question• Looking up the word in a dictionary• Maths glossary• Asking for help

Reciprocal Numeracy

Step 3

FIND OUT

What information in the question is/is not important to find the answer?

Underline the important information in the question.

Step 4

RESTATE

Restate the question in your own words.

Reciprocal Numeracy

Step 5

WORK IT OUT

Select the most appropriate strategy.

Use the strategy to work out the answer.

Now work it out using a different strategy.

Record your strategies - show your working out to the solution.

Record down the answer.

Strategies:

• Add/Subtract/Multiply/Divide• Draw a diagram, table or graph• Draw a picture• Look for a pattern• Guess and check• Act it out or use objects• Work backwards• Make a model• Brainstorm• Use simpler numbers • Create a tree diagram

Reciprocal Numeracy

Step 6

CHECK IT

Reread the question

Ask yourself have I answered the question?

Does the answer make sense?

Can you check the calculation.

• Step 7

REPORT BACK

Substantive conversation through reflection.

Share strategies used.

More then one way to solve a problem.

Questioning and Mathematical Language

Mental Strategies

School A to Z

• School A to Z has been produced by the NSW Department of Education

• For parents who are keen to support their child's learning and gain a better understanding for the work being done in the classroom.

• Practical homework help for school subjects and tips on learning,

• Includes articles and resources that provide more information about how you can assist your child at home.

• Website http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au

Mathletics

• Engaging for students - Rewards and certificates• Levelled and extension activities• Can be used to reinforce concepts taught at school• Students instantly know if they are on the right track and can

work through the curriculum at their own pace.• Yearly subscription already paid for. App available

Maths - Making Kids Feel Good• Helping kids feel good about maths

• Talk positively about maths so your child also values it• Everyone has a mathematical ego and this ego really determines a child’s mathematical success• Kids who hear their parents say ‘I was terrible at maths at school’ has a real effect

• Making maths fun• Another way you can make kids feel good about maths and build that mathematical ego is through games• Maths is a subject that really lends itself to games and we try to incorporate these games in our daily

teaching. We do this through (Mathletics, games on our interactive whiteboard and so on)• You can do this at home as well using dice in board games:

• reading the face on a die without counting the dots• Adding two dice together • Working on what you need to roll to get to where you want

• It’s important to make sure you get them to explain how they got the answer and to think aloud• How did you get that answer? What strategy did you use?• Research has shown that when kids think about the strategies they use in maths it can really contribute to their

understanding

• Another really effective way of allowing your child to feel comfortable with maths is pointing it out in everyday life • Cooking in the kitchen (measurement of ingredients in recipes)• Operating the microwave (numbers and counting backwards)• Finding a certain house number down the street (counting by 2s)

Activities to do at home