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Friday, April 3, 2020

5 Maths Gems #10

Have yous ever wondered where the give-and-take mathematics comes from? Me neither. But this is genuinely quite interesting:

Latin mathematica was a plural noun, which is why mathematics has an -s at the goal fifty-fifty though nosotros utilization it equally a singular noun. Latin had taken the give-and-take from Greek mathematikos, which inwards plough was based on mathesis. That word, which was also borrowed into English linguistic communication but is at nowadays archaic, meant "mental discipline" or "learning", particularly mathematical learning. The Indo-European root is mendh- "to learn." Plato believed no 1 could survive considered educated without learning mathematics. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 polymath is a someone who has learned many things, non only mathematics (source: Math Forum).

So my beau polymaths, here's my weekly maths gems. Creative maths teaching ideas, inspired past times the bully minds of Twitter.

1. Etymology

On Tuesday developing maths vocabulary before but at nowadays I possess got a novel thought to share.

There's bully value inwards talking to students most the etymology (origin) of mathematical words equally they arise. It helps students brand connections together with builds on their agreement of mathematics. Our role equally teachers is to enrich our students' lives alongside knowledge, together with noesis of etymology is both interesting together with important. This fantastic article (a must read!) says "Etymology provides a security internet of de-mystification. When all the words yous involve heed are novel together with confusing, or when those around yous set sometime words to foreign purposes, a grounding inwards etymology may help".

Thanks to @CParkinson535 for telling me most etymonline.com. I've taken the next excerpts from this website, only to give yous an thought of the sort of affair yous could part alongside your students:

hexagon (n.) 1560s, from Latin hexagonum, from Greek hexagonon, from hex "six" + gonia "angle" (see knee).
locus (n.) (plural loci), 1715, "locality," from Latin locus "a place, spot, position," from Old Latin stlocus, literally "where something is placed," Mathematical feel past times 1750.
vector (n.) "quantity having magnitude together with direction," 1846; before "line joining a fixed dot together with a variable point," 1704, from Latin vector "one who carries or conveys, carrier" (also "one who rides"), agent substantive from past times participle stalk of vehere "carry, convey" (see vehicle).
binomial 1550s (n.); 1560s (adj.), from Late Latin binomius "having ii personal names," a hybrid from bi- (see bi-) + nomius, from nomen. Taken upward 16c. inwards the algebraic feel "consisting of ii terms."

Thanks also to @the_chalkface for sharing the listing of words below, most of which I'd never heard of. Although nosotros should e'er endeavour to utilization accurate mathematical vocabulary when we're teaching, some of these words may survive a footstep equally good far!

2. Plickers

I've never paid much attending to interactive voting systems before because my schoolhouse doesn't ain the necessary devices. The thought is that students simultaneously respond to a multiple alternative query or sentiment poll using a wireless system. The instructor tin terminate get together together with analyse their responses instantly.

I can't give my ain sentiment on their effectiveness equally a teaching tool, but benefits are listed here as: improved attentiveness, increased noesis retention; poll anonymously (unlike a demonstrate of hands); runway private responses; display polling results immediately; practice an interactive together with fun learning environment; confirm audience agreement of fundamental points immediately; get together information for reporting together with analysis. So they are similar to mini-whiteboards for formative assessment, but they possess got some clear advantages. The primary disadvantage is the buy together with maintenance cost.

posts most Plickers lately together with am keen to assay it out. Plickers is a free app for your telephone or tablet. Print together with distribute voting cards and enquire students to concord upward their menu inwards the right orientation to betoken their answer. Scan the room alongside your telephone to collect the data. You tin terminate charge upward questions together with students' names on the user-friendly Plickers website.

I've read some bully ideas to brand this locomote good inwards maths. One is to permanently stick the cards to the dorsum of students' books (from blog post. It plant similar this: practice a true/false board inwards your classroom together with stick a disputation on it that represents a mutual misconception. Underneath the query are ii modest whiteboards - 1 for students to write their refer if they retrieve the disputation is true, the other for students who retrieve the disputation is false. What I similar most this thought is that students tin terminate easily switch their respond from 1 board to the other if they larn something that changes their mind. At the goal of the calendar week the respond is revealed together with discussed. Helpfully, Amy's postal service provides some representative statements to acquire yous started.

4. Feedback

Now that Ofsted possess got helpfully Stuck Post-its' I featured concluding calendar week inwards that you'll survive able to encounter which questions rest unanswered, but inwards add-on you'll survive easily survive able to come about an oculus on workings to cheque understanding.

The minute thought is from @eatf105. At the outset of the twelvemonth set upward a large 'literacy board' showing the letters A to Z. If a pupil hears a novel keyword during a maths lesson, they tin terminate possess got a post-it together with add together the keyword together with Definition to the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to Z board. Because post-its oftentimes autumn off, this powerfulness locomote meliorate on a pinboard - students could pivot upward an index menu instead. By the goal of the twelvemonth you'll possess got a student-made wall of keywords together with definitions.

What I've been upward to
My postal service on teaching trigonometry has been really pop this week.

I've also started writing Bitesize Gems (should possess got called them Midget Gems - thanks @taylorda01!). These are designed to survive printed onto postcards to render flashes of inspiration to busy teachers who don't read my blog. I intend to convert all of my previous gems posts to Bitesize Gems together with am aiming for a collection of 100.

I've also been exploring my novel subscription to MathsPad. I dearest their cleverly designed resources, similar this novel rounding worksheet.

I'll locomote out yous alongside a fantastic joke shared past times my adept friend (and maths rival) from schoolhouse @MikeMJHarris who is at nowadays developing software for mathematics education. I’ll survive sharing this joke alongside my Year 12s when nosotros comprehend convergent geometric series.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

5 Maths Gems #11

I've got roughly vivid gems for y'all this week. As commons Twitter has been on transcend form.

1. Quick Key
Last calendar week I wrote close Plickers, which is an app y'all tin role inwards the classoom for formative assessment - y'all ask a device only your students don't. Today I'm suggesting roughly other app that y'all tin role for assessment - Quick Key. With this app y'all tin laid multiple alternative homeworks or tests as well as grade them inwards seconds past times scanning the respond sheets ('Quick Tickets') with your phone.

Quick Key is the excogitation of American instructor Walter Duncan (@4_teachers). It "turns your band into a scanner as well as eliminates hand-grading of assessments, fifty-fifty for teachers working inwards paper-based classrooms without a calculator or internet. Analytics as well as information exports are easy, thus y'all tin focus on your students".

My initial thoughts were that although this app could live on rattling useful (less fourth dimension spent marking = to a greater extent than fourth dimension spent planning character lessons), it won't allow me to banking concern friction match students' methods, which limits opportunities for useful feedback. But for straightforward cognition checks, to inform me how much my students know, it would operate rattling well.

But as well as then I read this post close it. Find the Factors is designed by @IvaSallay who says it's an fantabulous agency for children as well as adults to review multiplication facts, role logic, as well as strengthen encephalon power. The puzzles are based on a multiplication grid where most of the numbers own got been removed. The grid tin live on completed using logic as well as cognition of factors - inwards the event below y'all could foremost past times completing the 2 circled cells. The puzzles come upward inwards varying levels of difficulty, as explained here. Find the Factors has already been rattling pop with tweeters who've tried it this week.

4. Chalk Pens

Kev Lister ‏(@ListerKev) tweeted close chalk pens. I've written close writing on desks, windows as well as walls before, only these are novel to me. Kev says the chalk wipes off non-porous surfaces easily with a damp cloth. He uses these pens to write targeted questions or supply scaffolding for selected students. I intend my boss would live on happier with me writing on desks with these rather than whiteboard markers.

5. Alternative Number Line
I'm reluctant to include 2 ideas from Ed Southall (@solvemymaths) inwards i post, only he's a legend thus I'll allow it... In the same agency the maths clock inwards my kitchen makes a nifty talking betoken for guests to my house, his alternative let on line should live on displayed inwards Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grade classrooms - students (and teachers!) volition live on intrigued. Mr G Walton (@mr_g_walton) has made a fantastic header to larn with it.

Stuart Price (@sxpmaths) suggests making an activity out of this - cutting the let on business upward as well as give it to your Year 13s thus they tin kind it into order. They may non live on familiar with roughly of the annotation only it's a skillful chance for interesting discussions (I flora out how to read ternary to sympathise Ed's alternative for let on 5. I'd also non seen flooring as well as ceiling annotation before).

Stuart also suggests that students pattern their ain let on lines. I honey this thought - it would operate with students of whatever age, from principal schoolhouse to university. It's like to an activity I suggested inwards my reflection stickers. Students stick a 'Not nonetheless yeti' or 'I got it' sticker inwards their majority to allow y'all know whether they've understood the work.

Speaking of stickers, Adil Jaffer (@adil_3) shared his fantastic feedback stickers thus y'all don't own got to proceed writing the same affair all the fourth dimension when you're marking.

One of the post pop tweets I saw this calendar week was from @MathedUp who shared his fantastic 'request a selfie' idea. I tin encounter this actually improving the character of students' operate - many of my students would honey the chance to print their parents. If y'all role iDoceo as well as then it's slow to own got a movie on your iPad as well as e-mail it to a parent.

Did y'all encounter these practice books, tweeted by @dandesignthink? The boxes at the bottom of the pages incorporate a checklist (accuracy, spelling, grammar), cardinal words, farther questions, cardinal points, what went well, as well as feedback. An 'Exercise majority 2.0' costs 50p - amount details are available here. There's also a maths version - Maths majority 2.0 is as awesome. I wishing I had a budget to pass because I'm desperate to gild these!

The to a greater extent than I role Twitter, the to a greater extent than inclined I am to hashtag everything I write (or say!). I own got to bound myself from putting hashtags inwards text messages to my hubby ('what do y'all desire for dinner tonight? #pleasesaytakeaway'). It's prissy to encounter that I'm non lone - Cathy Yenca (post close it. Find the Factors is designed by @IvaSallay who says it's an fantabulous agency for children as well as adults to review multiplication facts, role logic, as well as strengthen encephalon power. The puzzles are based on a multiplication grid where most of the numbers own got been removed. The grid tin live on completed using logic as well as cognition of factors - inwards the event below y'all could foremost past times completing the 2 circled cells. The puzzles come upward inwards varying levels of difficulty, as explained here. Find the Factors has already been rattling pop with tweeters who've tried it this week.

4. Chalk Pens

Stuart Price (@sxpmaths) suggests making an activity out of this - cutting the let on business upward as well as give it to your Year 13s thus they tin kind it into order. They may non live on familiar with roughly of the annotation only it's a skillful chance for interesting discussions (I flora out how to read ternary to sympathise Ed's alternative for let on 5. I'd also non seen flooring as well as ceiling annotation before).

Stuart also suggests that students pattern their ain let on lines. I honey this thought - it would operate with students of whatever age, from principal schoolhouse to university. It's like to an activity I suggested inwards my Open Evening post where y'all concur a 'design a maths clock' competition. The clock pictures below are all taken from sbcrafts.net where y'all tin banking concern friction match out a big attain of clock let on ideas that could also live on used on let on lines.

And finally...
Algebraic long segmentation is fun when y'all know how to do it, only it tin live on a chip tricky to learn to Year 12. It's prissy to know at that spot are alternative methods. I've factorised polynomials past times inspection earlier only non using a grid as suggested by post close it. Find the Factors is designed by @IvaSallay who says it's an fantabulous agency for children as well as adults to review multiplication facts, role logic, as well as strengthen encephalon power. The puzzles are based on a multiplication grid where most of the numbers own got been removed. The grid tin live on completed using logic as well as cognition of factors - inwards the event below y'all could foremost past times completing the 2 circled cells. The puzzles come upward inwards varying levels of difficulty, as explained here. Find the Factors has already been rattling pop with tweeters who've tried it this week.

4. Chalk Pens

Stuart Price (@sxpmaths) suggests making an activity out of this - cutting the let on business upward as well as give it to your Year 13s thus they tin kind it into order. They may non live on familiar with roughly of the annotation only it's a skillful chance for interesting discussions (I flora out how to read ternary to sympathise Ed's alternative for let on 5. I'd also non seen flooring as well as ceiling annotation before).

Stuart also suggests that students pattern their ain let on lines. I honey this thought - it would operate with students of whatever age, from principal schoolhouse to university. It's like to an activity I suggested inwards my The Art of Collaboration', it's e'er nifty to take heed when these ideas larn far into classrooms. Have a nifty half-term intermission everyone!

5 Maths Gems #12

This is going to live on a relatively brusk gems ship service because I'm exhausted from entertaining xix toddlers this afternoon at my daughter's 3rd birthday party. So I'll live on brief today, but facial expression a lengthier ship service side yesteryear side calendar week when I've recovered.

1. Area of a circle (again)
In my seventh gems post I shared an applet that beautifully demonstrates how to derive the surface area of a circle yesteryear cutting it into sectors. This calendar week I establish a vivid gif that shows the same thing.

This gif is taken from the animatics (animations + mathematics) section of @MathsChallenges' website. The thinking behind this method is neatly explained in Geometry: What is the intuition behind the formula for the surface area of a circle? which was shared this calendar week by @GeometryDad.

2. Standard form

'resources library has or too thence corking ideas.

3. H5N1 grade resources

I saw this tweet from @DrTrapezio...

too thence I checked this out too establish that the Cambridge Mathematics Education Project is inviting schools to register every bit affiliates to gain early on access to their gratuitous H5N1 grade maths resources nether development. I'm e'er on the facial expression out for H5N1 grade resources too thence I registered. There's loads of corking materials on the website too I facial expression forrad to seeing the collection develop.

Some of the CMEP's resources are forthwith featured on NRICH. For example, the question below is vivid (and non every bit difficult every bit it looks...)

I too similar the 'always, sometimes, never' bill of fare form 'Discriminating'.

Extract from Discriminating

And Parabella is a lovely work for your Year 12s studying coordinate geometry.

4. Operation Countdown

H5N1 combination of ideas too inventiveness from @LWmathsmatters, @EJmaths too @taylorda01 led to this first-class 'Operation Countdown'. I frequently role the 'four threes' activeness every bit a plenary inward an monastic say of operations lesson amongst Year 7 but it industrial plant amongst whatever historic menstruum group. I in i lawsuit used it every bit a Year xiii starter too they actually enjoyed it. The version below involves 5 threes but it's the same idea.

This film is from @taylorda01. @EJmaths also made this PowerPoint which includes a dark too white version.

5. #units #ruler #workings

I read the ship service 'Hashtag closure' yesteryear A identify for gimmicks?'). David's ship service is close using a hashtag to summarise a lesson.

Then A Frenzy of Marking: 'Progress Over Time' close feedback stickers. When I mark, I create notice that I write the same thing over too over again, too thence stickers would salve me a lot of time. Problem is, I'm non organised plenty to role stickers. I create my mark inward a multifariousness of locations too unremarkably but receive got a reddish pen to hand. Hashtags volition function but every bit good every bit stickers, every bit long every bit my students empathize the important of the hashtags.

When I grade I'm non succinct enough. For lawsuit I frequently write 'please larn to assistance companionship at 1.30pm on Midweek inward Room 111 for assistance amongst this topic'. Instead, I could write #helpclub. I too write things similar 'Look at the enquiry - yous were meant to circular your reply to i important figure'. I could but write #rounding. My students volition larn what I hateful (especially if they receive got this key inward their practise books) too it volition salve me loads of time. "What's the quest inward the # symbol?" I take away heed yous inquire - well, yes, the symbol isn't essential, but #MrsMorganLikesHashtags too they're non doing whatever terms are they? :)

So that's it - 5 quick gems from a busy mathematical mum. I was planning to characteristic or too thence thoughts close the value (or lack of value) of iPads inward maths didactics today but didn't larn fourth dimension to create the enquiry required, too thence volition salve that for my side yesteryear side gems post.

I'm too planning to write a ship service close circle theorems side yesteryear side week. I've got or too thence ideas but if you

receive got an interesting means of teaching circle theorems or whatever amazing resources, delight allow me know.

Also, don't forget to cheque out my other website, prethomework.weebly.com - the extensive collection has grown over half-term.

I'll larn out yous amongst a base of operations eleven abacus which I squall upwards is cute but volition annoy @solvemymaths (see his ship service 'My Base eleven Abacus Bugbear').

5 Maths Gems #22

Hello as well as welcome to my 22^nd gems postal service - this is where I percentage v didactics ideas I've seen on Twitter.

I've discovered at schoolhouse this calendar week that alter is hard. It's tardily to nation 'I'm non going to learn it similar that anymore' or 'I cause got a fantastic novel thought for didactics this topic' but when it comes to genuinely delivering lessons it's tardily to stick with tried as well as tested methods as well as resources. We desire our students to accept risks but how oft do nosotros accept risks equally teachers? This has been on my heed a lot this calendar week - I'll write a postal service nearly this soon.

1. 2015

Every twelvemonth Chris Smith features the Math Forum Year Game inward his newsletter. The idea is to role the digits inward the twelvemonth 2015 as well as the operations +, -, x, ÷, ^ (raised to a power), sqrt (square root), as well as ! (factorial), to write expressions for the integers 1 to 100. Answers tin endure submitted through the Math Forum website, or perchance you lot could brand a classroom/corridor display similar these examples:

2015 Challenge classroom display by @Jeremy_Denton

Challenge 2015 display by @c0mplexnumber

post nearly the 2014 challenge is too worth a read if you're going to drive this.

2. The Constant Character
Teaching indefinite integration? I loved this tweet from @inFinnityPi.

This lovely thought originated from @edenspresence who shared the student-decorated constant characters below. When students forget the 'plus C' they cause got to decorate a graphic symbol - a proficient agency to learn far stick!

3. 'I helped'
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 squeamish thought from @GiftedBA - 'I helped' stickers to encourage students to offering each other meaningful aid as well as to recognise those who do so. Download a sticker template here.

4. What's the question?
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 genuinely squeamish thought from Marcus Fleet is to write an reply on the board as well as enquire students for possible questions.

It's squeamish that the shape cause got chosen a winning question!

I'm quite surprised to encounter the variety of algebra students are doing inward Year half dozen - it's to a greater extent than advanced than I realised.

In the conversation that followed this tweet, Miss_Ren said that she likes to write a issue on the board as well as enquire what the enquiry could cause got been. It links to all areas of maths as well as requires no printed resources. Paul Godding shared simply about similar ideas - such equally writing 5, ix as well as 10 on the board as well as bespeak for the strange i out (students cause got to come upward up with 2 reasons for each answer). There's charge to a greater extent than fantastic problems similar this on Paul's website 7puzzleblog.com.

5. What the examiner sees
If you're didactics a Year eleven shape I remember it's good worth showing them this motion painting from @TheMathsMagpie to ensure they are aware that they shouldn't run exterior the allocated spaces inward their exams.

This post gives to a greater extent than data nearly the motion painting above. Use it amongst this really helpful laid upward of slides GCSE Maths - Easy Ways to Make Sure You Don't Lose Marks, too from @TheMathsMagpie.

WWW/EBI

I'm resisting the urge to write a weekly postal service reflecting on what went good (and what didn't learn well) at school. Instead I'll simply characteristic i personal reflection inward each of my gems posts.

I'm didactics angles to Year vii at the moment. I gave them a homework inward which they were required to hand reasons for their answers. Some students gave bright reasons as well as I was pleased to encounter the right role of mathematical damage I'd taught them such equally 'supplementary'. But many students simply wrote out their calculations inward words instead of stating the angle facts they'd used.

In their defence, nosotros hadn't practised 'giving reasons' inward class, as well as so I decided to address this yesteryear setting simply about angle problems as well as bespeak for total reasons with each answer. Conveniently Don Steward has simply published a laid upward of angle problems that were the right score of challenge.

It seemed similar a proficient thought but I wouldn't nation the lesson went well. What happened was that my students were writing such detailed reasons inward total sentences that it became genuinely time-consuming (for event solving enquiry 8 to a higher identify involves using 3 unlike angle facts, thus 3 sentences). They were doing as well as so much writing that they weren't doing plenty maths for my liking. Plus you lot could listen a pivot driblet inward my classroom, as well as that makes me uncomfortable. In the halt I told them to halt writing total sentences as well as write one-word bullet points instead (eg isoscoles/triangle/straight line/complementary etc). They were genuinely relieved! I'd dear to listen my readers' thoughts on this - should I cause got persevered with the tedious but of import sentence-writing practice? I'm non sure. Please tweet me your opinion!

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Some Things I've Tried

The lastly viii weeks have got been the busiest I've always experienced. There's been lots of factors at play to brand this stream especially exhausting, both at schoolhouse in addition to at abode - it doesn't assist that my 17 calendar month erstwhile immature adult woman nonetheless doesn't slumber at night! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 suspension is much needed. Half term also provides a adept chance to reverberate on simply about novel things I've tried this term.

Source: The Guardian/ Ros Asquith

1. Famous Five
This is an thought from Gems 35. It plant similar this:

Before each Year 10 lesson, I write the words 'Famous Five' on the board.
As my students brand it I have got a starter activity create for them.
Under the championship Famous Five, I write the names of the firstly v students to settle downwards in addition to start working. They LOVE beingness on this list! It's getting harder to select the Famous Five because they've all responded thence good to this.
At the halt of the lesson I say, "If you're on today's Famous Five listing you lot tin larn out now, the balance of you lot pack upward in addition to stand upward behind your chairs quietly". The Famous Five dash out of the room.

The funny affair is that simply about of these students have got registration inward the same room at 1 time after my lesson, thence they have got nowhere to rush off to! They simply similar the glory of beingness Famous Five.

This has been a actually successful first to minimise faff at the outset of my lessons. Also, because it's a chip dissimilar to what they're used to, it has helped me create a adept human relationship amongst this class. Huge thank you lot to Emma Mccrea for sharing the thought - arrive at read her original post to encounter how it plant for her.

2. Assessment

I've been doing variety of sources and keep the format consistent - each quiz is xv minutes long in addition to consists of 12 multiple selection questions.

These quizzes have got chop-chop conk an established routine. Most students have got total wages of the 'open book' dominion - during the show I encounter them looking dorsum through their do books at notes in addition to examples. This encourages adept greenback taking during lessons.

I degree the quizzes A, B or Not Yet (inspired yesteryear this post from Sarah Hagan). If a pupil receives a 'Not Yet' in addition to thence they haven't demonstrating sufficient agreement of the theme thence they have got to have got simply about other quiz after schoolhouse the next week. Of course of didactics at that topographic point has to live remedial activity betwixt receiving a 'Not Yet' in addition to resitting the quiz - these students either encounter me for assist after lessons, or I ship them links to Corbett Maths or Hegarty Maths videos.

My firstly quiz resulted inward xiii Not Yets in addition to exclusively 8 As. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 worrying publish of students couldn't multiply decimals thence I taught the theme to the whole course of didactics 1 time to a greater extent than using a dissimilar approach. The results were much improved inward the retake.

These quizzes exclusively have got most xxx minutes to grade - inward those xxx minutes I gain a valuable insight into my students' understanding. I promise that these regular depression stakes quizzes volition encourage my students to stay focused, have got adept notes in addition to seek support. Do read Kris Boulton's post 'How tests learn in addition to motivate' which inspired me to start doing these quizzes. So far it's been a swell success.

3. Modelling Good Work

Every classroom inward my subdivision has a visualiser. Unfortunately none of them seem to function (probably due to recent software updates) thence this foiled my conception to utilise visualisers this twelvemonth to present examples of pupil work. Instead, I have got photos of adept function spell I'm marking. There's no signal inward telling students that they should ready their function out improve without giving examples.

I've been trying this out amongst my Year 12 class. They're studying S1 in addition to we've been working on summarising information (eg hateful in addition to criterion difference of continuous data). It's slow to brand accuracy slips inward these calculations in addition to students who neglect to present clear workings inward exams could halt upward scoring no method marks.

The pic below is an instance of a student's answer to a criterion difference enquiry - I showed this photograph to the course of didactics when I returned their most recent homework. Few students inward this course of didactics had received total marks for this question.

It's non perfect, but this pupil has definitely got the correct idea. He's drawn out the whole tabular array clearly in addition to written downwards the formula for criterion deviation. He's shown intermediate steps in addition to his workings are really slow to follow. If exclusively all my students ready their function out similar this - the worst examples were those who tried to mash their workings into the margin of the enquiry newspaper ('Fermat-style' workings). I promise that yesteryear showing adept examples to the class, the character of function volition improve. I'll study dorsum on this afterwards inward the year!

4. Communication
At my previous schoolhouse the exclusively straight communication I had amongst parents was on Parents Evening. I never called, emailed or met amongst parents. At my novel schoolhouse every instructor recognises the importance of engaging parents in addition to this is done really effectively across the school. I decided to engage the parents of my Year 10 students yesteryear means of an introductory electronic mail at the start of term, followed yesteryear half-termly newsletters. Here's my firstly newsletter:

I've included an update on what we've been studying, praise for students who've done especially well, information most membership of the Society of Young Mathematicians and more.

I'd been planning to arrive at a newsletter similar this for years thence I'm glad I finally did it. I found this MathedUp post encouraging - it includes a lovely instance of a newsletter produced yesteryear Mo Ladak which is worth a look.

As Jim Riley (@tutor2u) said when I shared my newsletter on Twitter, "Most parents mightiness non tending - but if simply 1 or ii do, it is all worthwhile".

So that's it - 4 ideas that seem to live working well. I'll weblog 1 time to a greater extent than afterwards this twelvemonth to update you lot on whether these initiatives conk on to live effective. Thanks for reading!

5 Maths Gems #42

Hello in addition to welcome to my 42^nd gems post. This is where I part roughly of the best instruction ideas I've seen on Twitter.

1. Resources
To start, a few novel resources that yous mightiness non cause got seen.

Miss Norledge (@MissNorledge) drew inspiration from a Maths Feast problem to brand 3 coordinate geometry problems of her own. These lovely 'Triangle Regions' tasks are suitable for GCSE students or Year 12s.

The clever folks at MathsPad croak along to create fantabulous resources - this Always/Sometimes/Never True activity for Fractional Indices is excellent. The solutions render rattling helpful explanations too. I've added this to my resource library.

Here's roughly other corking novel resources from MathsPad - How many ways tin dismiss nosotros write 1 million? These are fantabulous activities for consolidating cognition of indices in addition to criterion form.

Check out mathspad.co.uk for to a greater extent than fantastic resources. And if you're on Twitter, Nicola (@MathsPadNicola) in addition to James (@MathsPadJames) are good worth following.

2. Enrichment for Sixth Form Mathematicians
Thanks to Graham Colman (@colmanweb) for sharing his listing of Maths Beyond the Curriculum activities. This listing is written for Year 12/13 - it would last especially useful for a pupil who intends to study maths at university. It could easily last adapted for other twelvemonth groups too. Here's an extract:

3. m4ths.com
Steve from m4ths.com teaches at Thomas Clarkson Academy inwards Wisbech. He has been sharing roughly bright novel resources recently. Here's a few examples.

His 'A flat page too.

4. Target Stickers
Target grades are an obsession inwards many schools. I'm non a fan. I tell my students to aim for hap grades regardless of what their target says. After all, targets are largely based on sweeping generalisations in addition to dodgy data.

Most teachers (myself included) are regularly required to study on progress against targets. I similar the sticker persuasion below from Charmayne Bailey (@MissBaileyMaths). The scale makes it actually clear to students where they stand, what their minimum target degree is, in addition to where they're heading.

5. GCSE Revision Ideas
I honey this persuasion from Mel (Some Things I've Tried inwards which I shared roughly novel instruction ideas I've been trying this term

In Case You Missed It... in which I shared roughly ideas in addition to resources that cause got been good received on Twitter

Five to Follow #ff in which I recommended 5 creative maths teachers to follow on Twitter.

I enjoyed participating inwards the bit Maths Journal Club chat - yous tin dismiss read a write-up of the intelligence here.

I used the fractions activity below alongside my Year 7s (I outset featured this activity inwards my post Thoughts on Teaching Fractions). I was quite taken aback yesteryear how revealing this chore was - it uncovered roughly serious misconceptions.

Ticket sales for my exciting Christmaths Party are going well. There's solely 25 twenty-four hours tickets left in addition to then majority now! It's going to last a fantastic consequence - run into christmaths.weebly.com for details.