Words Of Wisdom: Pedagogy Foundation Gcse

As expected, the final #mathsTLP of the schoolhouse yr was a fleck quieter than usual. As host, 1 of my jobs is to move along the chat flowing. So I filled a gap inward conversation amongst a question:

I hadn't been planning to inquire this inquiry - it was merely the commencement matter that came to heed at a 2nd when I wanted to acquire people talking. But too then something quite extraordinary happened. Over the few days that followed, I was inundated amongst helpful advice - I received over a hundred replies to my question. These words of wisdom come upward from experienced teachers. Teachers who've taught depression attainers, cared close them, believed inward them. Teachers who've done everything they tin give the axe to give these students opportunities inward life, who've lay huge amounts of endeavour into supporting them. I admire these teachers. I desire to hold upward 1 of these teachers.

"Throw away the handbook"  @solvemymaths

I received so much advice that it was all a fleck overwhelming. I went dorsum through every notification too made notes. It would hold upward incorrect non to percentage about of the ideas here. After all, I'm non the solely instructor who'll hold upward didactics depression attainers for the commencement fourth dimension side past times side year. I promise that others volition also create goodness from all this goodness advice.

1. Building relationships

"Make them believe inward themselves"  @FKRitson

There were lots of replies close how to create self-esteem, confidence too trust. Advice included:

• "Friday biscuits or a loving cup of tea plant wonders. Instill confidence & permit them know you lot believe inward them. With 1 of my groups nosotros took a lesson off to pattern too decorate our ain mugs. Best quote 'Miss, you've got a teapot! That's similar a dead posh restaurant'".    ‏@Ms_Kmp. "I was amazed at the behaviour on a loving cup of tea had for 1 immature man. Came for assist & a cuppa every Wed!"  ‏@takepi21
• "Instilling confidence is the key. Make the lessons non-threatening (they are inward the laid because they "fear" maths).... Make it dissimilar to the diet they've been served hence far; assay stuff, it volition breed confidence."  ‏@andylutwyche 
• "Your sales pitch is that it's 'us against the exam', 'we tin give the axe crunch this'. Their self belief inward maths volition hold upward low, they volition hold upward v sensitive to feeling patronised".  ‏@BodilUK 
• "Give them lots of testify to present they're getting C degree function right. You're non promising it every bit a grade, but they demand possibility."  @adamcreen 
• "Lots of repetition! They'll prob hold upward depression inward confidence so create this up. Word things inward ways that don't belittle them. ... If they don't acquire something, too then "maybe I didn't explicate it really well..." It helps their confidence."  @WelshReady 

2. Pick your battles

"As Napoleon said 'If you lot can't hold upward rigid everywhere, selection a house too hold upward rigid there.'"   ‏@MrMattock

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of replies were close choosing which topics to teach. I won't hold upward able to comprehend the whole syllabus - far from it - so I should focus on a express number of fundamental topics.

• "If you lot tin give the axe give them a quick win … that is ever good. Index laws are squeamish every bit they are legitimately C-Grade but tardily every bit hell! ... They won't acquire goodness at it all, so create upward one's heed what you lot desire them to empathise too reinforce that."  ‏@MrMattock 
• "Don't hold upward picky either, they mightiness acquire Pythag but non directed numbers."  ‏@DJUdall 
• "Don't hold upward jump past times the degree of a topic - expanding brackets is easier than many eastward degree topics! … Focus on topics amongst visual cues too predictable processes, such every bit transformations or scatter graphs."  ‏@danicquinn 
• "When gearing upward for the exam, you lot may desire to condense your curriculum into 'hot topics'. Keep it focussed. ... We picked out the favourite xxx or so inquiry types from exams over the final five years."  @jase_wanner 
• "Doubt you'll hold upward able to acquire through everything. Pick most of import bits too learn them well" @Teachanana

Many teachers told me that numeracy is key. I volition demand to have got "a relentless focus on pith numeracy skills" (@ThainMike).

"Numeracy skills too times tables. Again, over again too and then about more!" @RandomNumeracy

3. Memorisation

"Go for memorisation through every memorisation technique known to man"  @solvemymaths

For the vast bulk of our students, conceptual agreement is vital. Teaching maths 'properly' is a maths teacher's raison d'être. But these are particular circumstances. Give a depression attaining pupil the chance to acquire a C inward GCSE Maths - past times whatsoever agency necessary - too you've opened a window of chance inward a immature person's life.

• "I notice repetition helps. Do things speedily but repeat often".  ‏@MissMathsDla
• "Bring multifariousness to memorisation: flash cards, retention Rex (one stands upward too gets drum ringlet earlier reciting commencement 10 primes, etc)... "  @danicquinn
• "Most of their problems are issues amongst fluency so they can't *get* C/D degree topics when modelled. Remedial function on number is essential for quite a acre at the start of the year. ... I ever start amongst commencement fifteen squares, commencement five cubes, too roots/ cube roots. Make it compulsory to hold upward able to recite them inward 10 seconds inside a calendar week & time/ game them.  @StuartLock
• "Find interesting ways to reinforce fundamental number concepts; that volition hold upward their most serious need"  @MrMattock
• "You desire dizzy dances, phrases, gesticulations, daft images to associate...everything". @solvemymaths
• "YMCA becomes y = mx + c... angle sizes memorised past times arm actions... and the circle vocal is a must. Diddle, the median' s the middle"  @7wittermiss.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of people recommended Sticky Studying for memorisation techniques.

4. Resources

"Never permit them permit move of the basics. Drill them inward every lesson".  @DJUdall

Many teachers recommended resources. The by too large mutual recommendation was Numeracy 5-a-day from Corbettmaths.

Times Table Rockstars was also recommended. @MrReddyMaths suggested adapting it past times didactics the tables upfront each calendar week too cutting out the music - "Emphasise 'competition' amongst themselves past times highlighting how much they're improving over the week".

Mathsbox was recommended, every bit were Andy Lutwyche's resources on TES, Bread too Butter resources from Just Maths too Essential Skills from MathedUp!.

Thanks to @tessmaths for sending me a laid of colourful Foundation Revision Cards from the MA - these volition hold upward really helpful.

@DIRT_expert suggested using Cumulative Starters to create upward skills too tackle fear. Students are asked the same questions at the start of each lesson but to a greater extent than questions are added every bit they larn novel content.

5. More ideas

"You mightn't taste lessons at times; you'll taste the intellectual challenge it'll give you"  @siobhanorb

Here are about to a greater extent than things I demand to think close inward my planning:

• I demand to notice out close the literacy levels of my students too their attendance. 
• A few people suggested entering them for Higher GCSE rather than Foundation (there are mixed views on this). 
• @ColleenYoung suggested I create lots of brusk mini-tests amongst immediate feedback. 
• ‏@danicquinn suggested mini mocks, where you lot commencement function together on a "mock mock" (same questions, dissimilar numbers) earlier the existent one.
• @NEdge9 talked close the importance of students knowing the important of key words. She said that sometimes they tin give the axe create the maths but can't think what the words mean. 
• @missdenzil said that lessons should comprise small tasks, lots of dissimilar activities, rewards, competition, whiteboard work, too mastering basics.

Summary

@MrBenWard summarised the fundamental messages nicely inward this tweet: 

When I commencement run across my novel degree inward September, no doubtfulness about things volition have got me past times surprise. But the advice I received this calendar week has got my caput buzzing amongst ideas too I experience laid - dare I country excited - to acquire started amongst this class.

Huge thank you lot to all who tweeted too emailed me ideas too resources. In social club to move along this post a reasonable length, I haven't been able to include all the replies I received, but every unmarried slice of advice was valuable too volition hold upward factored into my planning for side past times side year. Thanks also to @ColinTheMathmo for helping me collate too organise the tweets. 

I'm so grateful that I tin give the axe rely on the maths instructor Twitter community to back upward me throughout the year. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 challenge lies ahead, but I've got adept advisers at mitt to regard me through it.