Why Methods?

About vi years I happened to stumble across a blog post almost matrix multiplication. I was teaching FP1 at the time. I was surprised to uncovering a method I'd never seen before, in addition to I showed my shape the real side past times side day. They liked it in addition to asked why I hadn't shown them this inwards the kickoff place. I admitted that I hadn't known almost it.

I afterward showed this matrix method to my colleague Mariana. In that same conversation she showed me some other method I hadn't seen earlier - the Factor Method for finding a Highest Common Factor in addition to Lowest Common Multiple. It was a method that 1 of our students had introduced to us, in addition to it turned out that some of my colleagues were already teaching it. I loved it.

I pondered these 2 methods - novel discoveries for me - in addition to wondered whether in that location was a mass or website that had them all inwards 1 place. Where could I expire to acquire novel methods? How could I honor out what other teachers did? How could I portion the 2 methods I'd merely discovered amongst other teachers? It seemed unfair to maintain them to myself when they'd sure live on of involvement to others.

I couldn't honor anything almost methods online, in addition to this is what prompted me to start a blog. I sentiment that gathering together option methods inwards 1 house would help me recollect what I'd found, in addition to if anyone else happened to read it in addition to then it mightiness help them too.

My first spider web log post - when I was merely almost to start motherhood exit amongst my minute babe inwards Apr 2014 - was almost matrix multiplication. H5N1 twosome of weeks afterward I wrote almost Highest Common Factor. At that quest a friend told me that people blogging almost pedagogy should bring together Twitter, thence I did. It was eye-opening. I straight off expire immersed inwards the wonderful the world of maths EduTwitter. There I constitute a community of teachers to utter over maths with. I learnt thence much from them. It was a game-changer.

I didn't know plenty interesting methods to only write almost methods, thence I started blogging almost resources in addition to pedagogy too. Resources began to accept over because that was what people seemed interested in, but my curiosity almost methods continued.

I went to my kickoff maths conference inwards September 2014. I loved it. I noticed that the workshops were mainly almost pedagogy rather than discipline knowledge. So I decided that at the side past times side conference I'd produce my kickoff always conference presentation - I'd tell everyone my cool agency to honor a HCF in addition to LCM, along amongst a few other methods that they mightiness non receive got seen before.

At the side past times side conference I was ridiculously nervous equally I delivered my session but it was wonderful to remove heed a room total of teachers talking almost methods. However at the goal a human being came upwardly in addition to told me that he'd already known all the methods I'd spoken about. This 1 lilliputian comment made me lose confidence inwards my sentiment to collect in addition to portion methods. I started to wonder if I was embarrassing myself past times sharing materials that was already widely known.

So I focused on resources for the side past times side twosome of years. I blogged almost methods alone occasionally, but I continued to intend that discipline noesis evolution was the most of import CPD maths teachers could do.

Back inwards Dec 2017 I was at an MA coming together inwards Leceister in addition to picked upwardly a few onetime textbooks from the archives. I was blown away past times the lineament of the questions inwards the exercises compared to many modern exercises. I straight off began to collect onetime textbooks, in addition to apace realised that they were total of fascinating methods in addition to discipline noesis that had long been forgotten. This is what re-ignited my involvement inwards methods. And this is what inspired me to convey all this fascinating materials together inwards a book. I'd been maxim for years that I'd never write a book. But I was overwhelmed past times this big idea, in addition to I couldn't halt myself from getting it all downward on paper.

I started writing the mass dorsum inwards Feb 2019. It's non merely almost methods - it's a whole lot more. You'll receive got to await in addition to consider what I hateful when it comes out (I can't await for you lot to consider it!). I've never worked thence difficult on anything before. I worked on it every twenty-four hr menstruation of the summertime holidays, in addition to receive got been busy trying to acquire it finished off inwards the in conclusion twosome of weeks, which has been actually tough because I learn full-time in addition to September is crazy busy. It was worth the endeavour though - I'm actually excited almost sharing it. I learnt thence much writing this book, in addition to at nowadays experience pretty confident that I know agency to a greater extent than almost mathematical methods than most people! My discipline noesis is miles ahead of where it was when I kickoff qualified equally a teacher.

I sent all 70,000 words of the mass off to my publisher on Sunday. It mightiness live on out inwards December, but I'm non making whatever promises!

I've been on a 5 twelvemonth journeying from the twenty-four hr menstruation I kickoff stumbled upon that matrix multiplication method. I've created something that didn't previously be that I experience volition live on of corking produce goodness to maths teachers. I really hope my readers similar it. And if they don't, at to the lowest degree I volition finally receive got what I wanted, for the produce goodness my ain teaching - a plethora of awesome mathematical methods, all inwards 1 place.

Book Launch!

Back inwards September I wrote a blog post close the mass that I've written. In that ship service explained why I wrote it too what it's all about. I submitted my manuscript at the terminate of the summertime holidays too (naively) thought that all my operate was done. In September too Oct I chose the pattern of the cover, gathered some reviews for the Amazon page too that was close it - it wasn't a huge amount of work. Then came November, too all of a abrupt everything was actually total on.

Getting the mass laid upwards for impress was a much bigger undertaking than I expected. I stayed upwards belatedly into the nighttime many times inwards November, working on checks too edits. My editor was vivid too made lots of useful suggestions. The challenge came from the fact that all of my equations were retyped too hence needed thorough checking, too all of the intricately detailed one-time textbook extracts were retyped too. It was an immense undertaking to proofread every unmarried line. If I wasn't a instructor I would lead maintain taken a few days off operate to produce it. But I had to check it inwards around long days at work, getting my girls into bed, doing my marker too lesson planning, too everything else. In hindsight I intend mayhap it was foolish of me to intend I could last a full-time instructor too mum of 2 immature children too write a book! But hey, I lived to country the tale.

It's quite possible that an mistake volition lead maintain made it through to the book, too I tin merely apologise for that. I worked harder on this than I've e'er worked on anything before, too forthwith it's beingness printed I experience rather emotional close it all. I experience relief, anxiety too happiness all at the same time. 

Because I never thought I'd write a book, too forthwith I have, I actually desire to celebrate. Although I've organised too hosted 2 mass launches too a release of other events inwards the past, I decided that I wouldn't last able to lead maintain a launch for my ain book. My novel undertaking is actually tough, too weekends too evenings inwards Dec are packed total of both operate too work solid unit of measurement stuff, so I definitely don't lead maintain fourth dimension to organise an event.

Thankfully my friend Emma McCrea (author of Making Every Maths Lesson Count) got inwards touching on too offered to organise too host a launch political party for me. I'm real grateful to her for working actually apace to larn everything laid upwards inwards fourth dimension for the book's publication date. Tickets went on sale today, too I'm real excited close it.

The launch is on 14th Dec at SAMA Bankside, which is a bar close Blackfriars inwards London (those of you lot who stayed on for the Humble Pi afterparty mightiness cry back it!). The upshot is 3pm until 5.30pm. If anyone wants to remain out afterward too plough it into a maths instructor Christmas nighttime out so I'm upwards for that (it's optional though!). It's been a piece since the terminal #christmaths so I intend we're overdue a festive party... 

My footling mass launch volition consist of maths activities, drinks, maths mingling, too 2 talks (one from me too 1 from the awesome speaker Zoe Griffiths). Tickets are £20 too this includes a re-create of the mass (hot off the press), a drinkable on arrival too all mathsy entertainment.

I know lots of people are going to last busy on the 14th, but I promise some people tin bring together me to celebrate (I'm aware it's non ideal timing for a launch, but I actually wanted the mass to last out earlier Christmas).

You tin mass a ticket here. Feel complimentary to pick out partners too friends - this upshot is non alone for maths teachers, though the amusement is all mathematical!

Hope to run across you lot there. And if you lot can't come upwards but withal desire to read my book, it's available to companionship here.