As Lead Practitioner, part of my remit is to share resources/ideas and generally help raise standards of Teaching and Learning in the Mathematics department (ultimately, I’d like to do this school wide but hey ho…one step at a time).
I’ve been toying with the idea of having a check list for students in lower ability classes and when it was mentioned at our last Maths meeting, the team seemed to like the idea. Not just for lower ability but for all classes; laminate, stick on tables in Maths classrooms, the usual stuff. This is something that we are looking to do to help our students be responsible for their attitude to learning (ATL) and ensure they remain focused in lessons.
Below is a draft, version 1, the bones of the idea (I promise I will make it pretty!)…
To have an outstanding lesson, I need to;
- Get my Maths equipment ready (including my planner)
- Complete the starter (if I’m stuck I need to ask someone near me)
- Listen carefully to instructions
- Write the TWWL and the date (underline them)
- Copy important notes and highlight key words
- Attempt all parts of the question (get involved in the activity/task)
- Check that my answers make sense
- Keep listening for any new instructions
- Ask questions (this will show that you are listening and thinking!)
- Review my work (or review my friends work)
It would be great to know if anyone is already doing this (or something similar) and what impact this is having. I think it is something that can be used across subjects and not simply limited to Mathematics. I will update this post once the check list has been trialled and I will share what has happened in our classrooms in the New Year.
Watch this space…
Sharon Porter Consulting 