Maths PLD with Jo Knox

We have just finished another maths PLD session with Jo Knox.

Here are some of my reflections on this session:

• Is IKAN a worth while assessment without some changes made to how you administer the test? We have found that the pressure of the test - the speed of the test, someone reading it out, etc - stops children from being able to show what they can actually do. We have trialled a few different ideas with changing how it is administered. For example, slowing the speed of the test down, giving children the opportunity to choose one or two questions to change after they have completed (but before marking). I think with these changes we might see better results as the children will be more comfortable.
• Aligning the NZ Framework and NZC was a highly valuable task for our teachers. The numeracy project has unfortunately given teacher an unhealthy reliance on stages of maths rather than the knowledge of maths. Consequently I think teachers have lost some of their knowledge of the curriculum and are therefore not as equipped to led mathematical conversations with children. 
• Gloss - is this an assessment of the past? I think it might be from the mainstream of assessment as all it's looking at is the strategy use of the children - not their understanding of mathematical concepts.
• Lastly, I feel as though we need to get a better understanding of an effective teaching cycle and what that can look like in the classroom. 

Teaching as Inquiry - Graeme Aitken

Today as part of our Leaders PLG we had the honour of listening one of NZ's godfather of Teaching as Inquiry - Graeme Aitken! I was blown away by his passion and knowledge. Here are just a few of my notes from this session:

Collaborative Inquiry - An approach to teaching

Often teaching is only about adjusting the learners rather than adjusting my teaching.

Goals as a teacher:

Creating interest, creating confidence, creating achievement

• Bigger evidence of raising achievement
• Less focus on creating interest and joy

To do this we need to:

1. Take stock: add to the data we have of achievement

• Current state
• Student experience 
• Data story: tools to help with this

How to do this:

• Scan
• Can you describe what you are learning and why?
• Where are you going with your learning?
• Name two adults in this school who believe that you can achieve
• NZCER me and my class
• ERO well being survey

2. Focus on the solution

• Defining the problem
• Create focus

• Add the correct next steps to help solve the problem - create the write strategy to solve the problem
• Could be measuring the wrong thing??
• Our best guesses about a fix, then test it. What do we need to learn to aid our best guess?

3. Take action

• Test hunches
• Share successes, failures and improvements
• Discuss whether or not we have made enough of a difference
• This can only happen with trust…
• Got to think about incremental improvements
• It's ok, to make mistakes but not ok to keep on making mistakes

4. Maintain momentum

• How do we spread these ideas
• How do we get other teachers/classes to do the same?