Mei Conference 2015

Last calendar week was an incredibly busy calendar week for me. On overstep of a number of occupation solid unit of measurement events too personal commitments, I did the following:

• Attended #mathsconf4 inwards London too helped run the TweetUp
• Hosted #mathsTLP on Lord's Day nighttime too #mathscpdchat (on behalf of the NCETM) on Tuesday night
• Had my source SLT lesson observation at my novel school
• Did my source e'er TeachMeet presentation at #TMEpsom
• Wrote 3 weblog posts too processed a dozen novel Pret Homeworks
• Travelled to Bath to attend too introduce at the MEI Conference.

It was a slap-up calendar week but I'm therefore pleased it's over! I've already written virtually #mathsconf4, the #mathscpdchat virtually Problem Solving too #TMEpsom virtually Pret Homeworks, therefore this is my lastly ship service virtually the events of my busy calendar week - this ship service is virtually my sense of the MEI Conference.

Maths CPD

subject specific CPD. Although I produce pick upwards closed to ideas from generic T&L events, my instruction benefits the most from conversations virtually maths - both the pedagogy too the subject. Unfortunately, aside from on Twitter, opportunities for such conversations are few too far between. My previous school's budget for external courses was null (I'm non exaggerating! No external CPD allowed at all). So at the MEI Conference it was refreshing to run across that closed to schools produce withal let their teachers to attend conferences. I chop-chop discovered that the chance to larn virtually maths too educate equally a instructor was immense.

Because I was presenting on the Sat I got to attend that hateful solar daytime for free, too I was staggered past times both how much I learnt too past times how much I enjoyed learning. The alternative of sessions was huge - over the 3 days at that spot were 12 sessions too inwards each session delegates could select from 8 options. Many, but non all, sessions were focussed on Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat instruction and/or the purpose of technology.

Ideas for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level

The source session I attended was "The aspirational flat due east student" past times David Philip too Claire Phillips. The session was virtually how to back upwards AS maths students who convey an due east equally their baseline/target grade. We started past times discussing the reasons that therefore many students neglect AS flat maths too therefore flora out what David too Claire convey done at their schoolhouse to improve results. I've persuasion virtually this number earlier (see my post Bridging the Gap to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level) therefore it was slap-up to take away heed what they've been doing, including:

• They run an algebra bootcamp inwards the 3 days earlier term starts for flat B GCSE students.
• They number students alongside a self-assessment workbook containing the MEI exercise for each chapter (and links to solutions).
• They purpose a flipped learning approach for the basics (ie students spotter videos at dwelling occupation solid inwards advance of closed to lessons). Feedback from students has been good.
• They convey a department Twitter account (@mathsnewvic) which is the exclusively agency they communicate sure enough pieces of vital data (eg when the side past times side evidence is).
• They make students information virtually what questions volition live inwards assessments inwards advance (eg 'the side past times side evidence volition consist questions from 2011 past times papers') - students therefore produce all those questions to ready for the assessment, which is amend than doing zip at all.
• They convey whiteboard pigment on the walls. I wrote virtually Vertical Whiteboards in Gems 7 and i time again I've been convinced of their effectiveness. There are lots of alternatives (eg magic whiteboards or writing on windows) if yous can't purpose whiteboard paint. David too Claire said that oft their students brand it inwards lessons too start solving problems on the walls conduct away - sometimes they don't fifty-fifty pose their bags down! If they acquire stuck they are much to a greater extent than probable to inquire closed to other pupil for aid than if they were sitting down. Another delegate said that this approach had transformed her teaching.

There's likewise a few things that David too Claire innovation to implement side past times side year. They recall to brand assessment results (broken downward past times question) world therefore students know who the practiced is inwards each topic, too they tin therefore acquire to their peers for help. They are likewise going to brand purpose of the MathsWatch App which is gratis for students when the schoolhouse subscribes to MathsWatch (the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat video collection is growing).

Problem Solving
I likewise attended a session on Problem Solving at Key Stage 3 too four alongside Phil Chaffé. During this session I had fun trying out a make of maths problems.

My favourite problem, which I recall would live peculiarly suitable for Year 8 or 9, was 'Zag Area 1', which is shown below too available to download (with solution) from Integral (login required).

The session notes likewise featured these concern carte problems from the FMSP - these volition live available online from September.

All the problems featured inwards this session were drawn from Integral, the FMSP too Nrich. If you're looking for occupation solving resources therefore produce likewise banking venture check out my recent ship service Favourite Problems.

Mathematical Methods
National Mathematics Teacher Conference inwards March. It was virtually alternative mathematical approaches (eg all the unlike methods nosotros tin purpose to discovery the highest mutual constituent of 2 numbers). If yous await my 'Methods' page then you'll run across the posts I wrote after the lastly conference explaining the content of my workshop.

This fourth dimension I added an extra subdivision to my presentation - I spoke virtually how to factorise harder quadratics. I demonstrated 3 methods. The source was the 'guess too test' method (commonly used past times anyone over the historic catamenia of 20), the 2d was the 'grouping' method (used past times many U.K. teachers) too the tertiary was the 'slide too divide' method (sometimes used inwards the US, but considered a 'trick' past times many). We talked virtually advantages, disadvantages too alternatives. If you're interested inwards finding out to a greater extent than therefore run across my ship service Factorising Harder Quadratics, which I've but updated. An interesting alternative approach that many delegates had non seen earlier was 'the monic method', which is demonstrated inwards these 2 examples:

I promise that delegates flora my session useful. I did acquire closed to prissy encouraging feedback subsequently therefore I recall it went well.

Summary

The plenary 'Bouncing Bombs too Boomerangs' past times Dr Hugh Hunt, Senior Lecturer inwards the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University, was entertaining too fascinating. Overall my whole hateful solar daytime at the MEI Conference was fantastic too I regret non beingness able to attend to a greater extent than sessions.

So at that spot ends my busy week. I've fallen agency behind alongside my to-do listing therefore forthwith it's fourth dimension to acquire dorsum on track. First up, I'll proceed to locomote on my page of resources for the new GCSE specification.

Thanks to MEI for organising such a high character conference - I actually promise I'm able to attend i time again side past times side year.

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