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Articles & Recent News
- Failing fast and failing forward
- The danger of “either/or” teaching
- How to read my data
- Nine great ways to use dice to build number understanding and fluency
- New resources for members… a sneak preview
- When kids get stuck and never catch up
- Fluency with flexibility
- Protected: Intervention that works course resources
- Improving student reasoning
- What works and what doesn’t in intervention – research summary
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Category Archives: Classroom Tips
Failing fast and failing forward
Tierney Kennedy A few years ago mathematician Terence Tao created a Polymath[1] group to work on the Twin Prime Conjecture – a project where mathematicians collaborate together to solve vexing problems. As part of the approach, everyone agreed to immediately … READ MORE
The danger of “either/or” teaching
Ending the debate: Which teaching approach is most effective? Tierney Kennedy In 1997 a landmark study in the UK decided to define effective teaching using student improvement data… if you haven’t read it, the findings might be surprising When I … READ MORE
When kids get stuck and never catch up
Recently I’ve been pondering findings from a major report into Australian schooling that kids who are struggling in maths by the end of primary school often never catch up (Masters, 2009). I know it’s true in a lot of cases, … READ MORE
Improving student reasoning
Kids who have a strong intuitive understanding of maths can sometimes have trouble slowing down their thinking to explain how they got the answer. Here are a few simple tips for helping them to work out what process they used. … READ MORE
Mathsbusters: experimenting to bust misconceptions
>>> Introducing conceptual change programs Let’s face it – nobody likes being wrong. Not kids, and not us. So, when maths becomes all about the right answers, that makes it tricky for kids to want to try. One simple adjustment … READ MORE
The time crunch: buying yourself an extra hour every week
By Tierney Kennedy I firmly believe that the most important and most effective thing that we can do with our classes is problem-solving. And yet far and away the biggest complaint that I hear teachers express on Professional Development sessions … READ MORE
My top ten rotation group activities:
I find that having a bank of regularly-used, highly-motivating and quick rotation group activities saves me a lot of time and headaches when using rotation groups. Here are my top ten activities. If you are a member of the Back-to-Front … READ MORE
Do you have decision fatigue? This might help.
Have you had a long and tough term? Let’s talk about how to survive the stress. Sometimes the holidays just feel like breathing room before starting the next big push. Life can feel a lot like a pendulum swinging – you … READ MORE
Engagement vs Entertainment
I’d like to raise a contentious issue… Engagement is not the same as entertainment, or even the same as enjoyment. True engagement involves an insatiable curiosity. A driving need to know. Presenting maths on a screen does not always add … READ MORE
Is there really an ideal maths lesson?
I am often asked what makes a perfect mathematics lesson. This is a difficult question to answer, as I’m not sure that there is one best lesson. It really depends on what you want to achieve, as the purpose of … READ MORE
