Practical Tips For A (Newly) Qualified Maths Teacher
Thursday, October 24, 2019
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Student teachers, NQTs together with experienced teachers direct maintain 1 thing inwards mutual - they haven't got it all figured out yet. I for certain haven't - every yr I endeavor to utilisation my fourth dimension to a greater extent than effectively together with instruct maths to a greater extent than effectively. Here's my top x tips for newbies.
1. Plans
At my schoolhouse nosotros used to direct maintain 4.5 periods a calendar week to instruct Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. That was reduced to 4 periods a calendar week due to budget cuts - a loss of around fifteen teaching hours. Suddenly everything was a rush. In the origin yr I taught AS bird maths, I ran out of time. I taught the trapezium dominion inwards 20 minutes simply earlier my students went on written report leave. The side past times side yr I made detailed plans thus it wouldn't come about again. This is what my project design for Year 12 looked similar final yr (I taught C1 together with C2 inwards 5 periods a fortnight, some other instructor taught this bird M1):
It's simply a elementary Excel file. I do these for all my classes at the halt of the summertime holidays. I consult the schoolhouse calender origin thus I know when each yr volition live on off-timetable.
These plans direct maintain to live on flexible - I tweak them regularly throughout the schoolhouse year. For illustration final yr nosotros were told to pass some Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bird lessons doing target-setting together with feedback amongst our students, which wiped out a few hours teaching fourth dimension thus I had to adapt my plans. There are also times when a theme takes a chip longer than expected. Last yr I originally intended to destination C2 amongst my Year 12s past times Easter but that was pushed dorsum every bit the yr progressed. This left me amongst less revision fourth dimension than I wanted, but at to the lowest degree I completed the syllabus.
These plans aid me popular off along on track. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pair of hours invested at the start of the schoolhouse yr agency no to a greater extent than guesswork together with no to a greater extent than missed deadlines.
2. Mind your language
When you lot start teaching maths you lot direct maintain to live on really aware of your language. You apace acquire used to using the appropriate terminology. How many people state the missive of the alphabet O when they hateful the pose out null - especially when they state scream upwards numbers? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 maths instructor mustn't brand mistakes similar that.
Also beware of words that volition sweat disruption. Teenagers direct maintain muddied minds together with are easily amused. I've written a listing of words to avoid here. You direct maintain been warned!
3. Writing on the board
You'll presently acquire used to setting your piece of work out clearly - at the halt of lessons, stand upwards dorsum together with aspect at what you've written on the board. My boards are oftentimes a disorganised mess. Beware of the bad illustration onrush Countdown - Rachel Riley together with Carol Vorderman are both guilty of terrible nonsensical workings:
4. Misconceptions together with Shortcuts
Experienced teachers know most mutual misconceptions together with project design accordingly. I've non withal flora a concise listing of mutual mathematical misconceptions but Google mightiness live on able to aid you lot for specific topics (for illustration this is a goodness starting request for thinking most misconceptions inwards algebra). If you're an NQT, I recommend you lot inquire experienced maths teachers what to aspect out for. This gallery of classic mistakes is also helpful.
If you lot haven't withal read the mass Nix The Tricks thus it's absolutely essential that you lot read it. We're all nether fourth dimension pressures together with nosotros all desire our students to acquire the best possible seek out grades, but we're maths teachers, thus let's instruct maths. Helping students develop a conceptual agreement of mathematics is a challenge but volition pay off inwards the long run. Some teaching tricks confuse students (eg the mnemonic BODMAS). Other tricks are thus complicated that the amount of encephalon infinite taken upwards memorising them could live on improve used doing proper maths. This butterfly method for adding fractions is a goodness illustration - far improve to instruct students how together with why to honour a mutual denominator.
By all agency utilisation clever tricks to aid your students recollect things, but never bypass understanding.
5. Myths
Don't stress most all the teaching myths you lot listen - read Shaun Allison's post Mythbusting for reassurance. Are you lot nether the impression that every lesson has to direct maintain an chemical cistron of grouping work? It doesn't.
Your students involve many opportunities for independent practice, thus don't live on afraid of it.
6. Behaviour
Everyone has 1 or ii nightmare classes. In my NQT yr my Year xi bird never stopped talking. I felt similar I was nagging them all the time. I despaired that I was terrible at behavior management until I heard their scientific discipline instructor state they were her worst bird too. What a relief to listen it wasn't simply me.
Sometimes modest changes brand a large difference. Do you lot acquire students working every bit presently every bit they arrive? Are your instructions clear? Ask experienced colleagues for ideas. You'll notice that behavior is best when students are immersed inwards interesting mathematics. The theory is that if you lot engage them thus the goodness behavior volition follow, but it's non ever every bit tardily every bit that. Use back upwards mechanisms, popular off along restating your expectations, live on consistent together with don't live on afraid to inquire for help.
7. Resources
You could lose hours to a fruitless search for the perfect resource. If you lot direct maintain something really specific inwards mind, it's in all probability quicker to brand it yourself.
Have some go-to resources websites that you lot ever banking concern jibe origin (don't forget my resource library!). There's some cracking stuff on TES but it tin flaming live on truly difficult to honour it (thankfully they are inwards the procedure of improving their search functionality). When I'm looking for resources I ever banking concern jibe Teachit Maths, MathsPad, Median together with Mathematics Assessment Project. Ed Southall has really helpfully shared his well-organised internet bookmarks which you lot tin flaming upload to your browser.
8. Marking
If you lot gear upwards a lot of homework, you lot direct maintain to do a lot of marking. Sometimes it all piles upwards together with becomes overwhelming. I by together with large gear upwards one Mythbusting for reassurance. Are you lot nether the impression that every lesson has to direct maintain an chemical cistron of grouping work? It doesn't.
Your students involve many opportunities for independent practice, thus don't live on afraid of it.
6. Behaviour
Everyone has 1 or ii nightmare classes. In my NQT yr my Year xi bird never stopped talking. I felt similar I was nagging them all the time. I despaired that I was terrible at behavior management until I heard their scientific discipline instructor state they were her worst bird too. What a relief to listen it wasn't simply me.
Sometimes modest changes brand a large difference. Do you lot acquire students working every bit presently every bit they arrive? Are your instructions clear? Ask experienced colleagues for ideas. You'll notice that behavior is best when students are immersed inwards interesting mathematics. The theory is that if you lot engage them thus the goodness behavior volition follow, but it's non ever every bit tardily every bit that. Use back upwards mechanisms, popular off along restating your expectations, live on consistent together with don't live on afraid to inquire for help.
7. Resources
You could lose hours to a fruitless search for the perfect resource. If you lot direct maintain something really specific inwards mind, it's in all probability quicker to brand it yourself.
Have some go-to resources websites that you lot ever banking concern jibe origin (don't forget my RAG123 and tools similar QuickKey mightiness aid growth your mark efficiency.
I tend to gear upwards homeworks on sheets rather than inwards exercise books, simply thus I don't direct maintain to bear heavy books habitation for marking. If you lot do this together with your schoolhouse does mass scrutinies to banking concern jibe teachers' mark thus you lot direct maintain to brand sure that a) your homework sheets are easily stuck into an exercise mass (eg printed on 1 side, A5 if possible) together with b) that your students truly stick them in, otherwise it volition aspect similar you lot never do whatever mark at all.
Bear inwards heed that some students volition lose their homework sheets. To avoid excuses, brand sheets available for printing through a bird blog, Twitter job concern human relationship or an accessible folder.
9. Get organised
You know how they state that lesson planning gets quicker every year? Well that's assuming it doesn't accept you lot an lx minutes to rails downwards the materials you lot used inwards the previous year. I've learnt to organise my files good thus I tin flaming apace honour what I'm looking for.
This is how I do it: inwards 'My Documents', I direct maintain a folder for each class. In the folder for each class, I direct maintain a folder for each topic, numbered according to the lodge I taught each topic. Here's an illustration for a Year 10 class:
So if I'm repeating these 3 lessons side past times side yr it's truly tardily for me to run into just what I did. Numbering my files similar this has made me much to a greater extent than organised.
Another identify to live on organised is emails. It entirely takes a 2d to do folders inwards Outlook. The entirely emails inwards my inbox are those that I involve to action. Everything else is filed away every bit presently every bit it's received, thus I tin flaming honour data really quickly. Here's my structure:
I direct maintain my piece of work electronic mail synced to my phone. This is a mixed blessing. It agency I tin flaming bargain amongst emails exterior of schoolhouse - every bit they popular off far inwards my inbox, I forthwith read together with delete them if they're non relevant. So when I'm busy at schoolhouse I direct maintain far less to bargain with. This approach doesn't suit everyone though.
I also direct maintain total remote access from my habitation PC to the schoolhouse network, thus I tin flaming access SIMs together with all schoolhouse directories from home. All I involve at nowadays is a photocopier inwards my kitchen thus I don't waste product fourth dimension queuing to photocopy at work! I run into these things every bit fourth dimension savers but others think they're a measurement also far, it's a affair of personal preference.
10. Catch-up time
If you lot acquire a motorbus or educate to piece of work thus don't endeavor to mark. It's non worth the hassle. I was 1 time thus busy at piece of work that I took a pile of mark to the pub on a Fri together with did it on the night-bus home. Not recommended. Bus together with educate journeys are a goodness fourth dimension to relax or read a book, but if you lot experience similar at that topographic point aren't plenty hours inwards the twenty-four lx minutes menstruation for relaxing, thus instead utilisation these journeys for catching upwards on Twitter together with teaching blogs. If you're non on Twitter thus bring together immediately. That's my most of import tip from today's post: bring together the community of maths teachers on Twitter - you'll live on amazed at how much you lot learn.
1. Plans
At my schoolhouse nosotros used to direct maintain 4.5 periods a calendar week to instruct Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. That was reduced to 4 periods a calendar week due to budget cuts - a loss of around fifteen teaching hours. Suddenly everything was a rush. In the origin yr I taught AS bird maths, I ran out of time. I taught the trapezium dominion inwards 20 minutes simply earlier my students went on written report leave. The side past times side yr I made detailed plans thus it wouldn't come about again. This is what my project design for Year 12 looked similar final yr (I taught C1 together with C2 inwards 5 periods a fortnight, some other instructor taught this bird M1):
It's simply a elementary Excel file. I do these for all my classes at the halt of the summertime holidays. I consult the schoolhouse calender origin thus I know when each yr volition live on off-timetable.
These plans direct maintain to live on flexible - I tweak them regularly throughout the schoolhouse year. For illustration final yr nosotros were told to pass some Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bird lessons doing target-setting together with feedback amongst our students, which wiped out a few hours teaching fourth dimension thus I had to adapt my plans. There are also times when a theme takes a chip longer than expected. Last yr I originally intended to destination C2 amongst my Year 12s past times Easter but that was pushed dorsum every bit the yr progressed. This left me amongst less revision fourth dimension than I wanted, but at to the lowest degree I completed the syllabus.
These plans aid me popular off along on track. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pair of hours invested at the start of the schoolhouse yr agency no to a greater extent than guesswork together with no to a greater extent than missed deadlines.
2. Mind your language
When you lot start teaching maths you lot direct maintain to live on really aware of your language. You apace acquire used to using the appropriate terminology. How many people state the missive of the alphabet O when they hateful the pose out null - especially when they state scream upwards numbers? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 maths instructor mustn't brand mistakes similar that.Also beware of words that volition sweat disruption. Teenagers direct maintain muddied minds together with are easily amused. I've written a listing of words to avoid here. You direct maintain been warned!
3. Writing on the board
You'll presently acquire used to setting your piece of work out clearly - at the halt of lessons, stand upwards dorsum together with aspect at what you've written on the board. My boards are oftentimes a disorganised mess. Beware of the bad illustration onrush Countdown - Rachel Riley together with Carol Vorderman are both guilty of terrible nonsensical workings:
4. Misconceptions together with Shortcuts
 |
If you lot haven't withal read the mass Nix The Tricks thus it's absolutely essential that you lot read it. We're all nether fourth dimension pressures together with nosotros all desire our students to acquire the best possible seek out grades, but we're maths teachers, thus let's instruct maths. Helping students develop a conceptual agreement of mathematics is a challenge but volition pay off inwards the long run. Some teaching tricks confuse students (eg the mnemonic BODMAS). Other tricks are thus complicated that the amount of encephalon infinite taken upwards memorising them could live on improve used doing proper maths. This butterfly method for adding fractions is a goodness illustration - far improve to instruct students how together with why to honour a mutual denominator.
 |
| Nix: Butterfly fractions |
5. Myths
Don't stress most all the teaching myths you lot listen - read Shaun Allison's post Mythbusting for reassurance. Are you lot nether the impression that every lesson has to direct maintain an chemical cistron of grouping work? It doesn't.
Your students involve many opportunities for independent practice, thus don't live on afraid of it.
6. Behaviour
Sometimes modest changes brand a large difference. Do you lot acquire students working every bit presently every bit they arrive? Are your instructions clear? Ask experienced colleagues for ideas. You'll notice that behavior is best when students are immersed inwards interesting mathematics. The theory is that if you lot engage them thus the goodness behavior volition follow, but it's non ever every bit tardily every bit that. Use back upwards mechanisms, popular off along restating your expectations, live on consistent together with don't live on afraid to inquire for help.
7. Resources
You could lose hours to a fruitless search for the perfect resource. If you lot direct maintain something really specific inwards mind, it's in all probability quicker to brand it yourself.
Have some go-to resources websites that you lot ever banking concern jibe origin (don't forget my resource library!). There's some cracking stuff on TES but it tin flaming live on truly difficult to honour it (thankfully they are inwards the procedure of improving their search functionality). When I'm looking for resources I ever banking concern jibe Teachit Maths, MathsPad, Median together with Mathematics Assessment Project. Ed Southall has really helpfully shared his well-organised internet bookmarks which you lot tin flaming upload to your browser.
8. Marking
If you lot gear upwards a lot of homework, you lot direct maintain to do a lot of marking. Sometimes it all piles upwards together with becomes overwhelming. I by together with large gear upwards one Mythbusting for reassurance. Are you lot nether the impression that every lesson has to direct maintain an chemical cistron of grouping work? It doesn't.
Your students involve many opportunities for independent practice, thus don't live on afraid of it.
6. Behaviour
Sometimes modest changes brand a large difference. Do you lot acquire students working every bit presently every bit they arrive? Are your instructions clear? Ask experienced colleagues for ideas. You'll notice that behavior is best when students are immersed inwards interesting mathematics. The theory is that if you lot engage them thus the goodness behavior volition follow, but it's non ever every bit tardily every bit that. Use back upwards mechanisms, popular off along restating your expectations, live on consistent together with don't live on afraid to inquire for help.
7. Resources
You could lose hours to a fruitless search for the perfect resource. If you lot direct maintain something really specific inwards mind, it's in all probability quicker to brand it yourself.
Have some go-to resources websites that you lot ever banking concern jibe origin (don't forget my RAG123 and tools similar QuickKey mightiness aid growth your mark efficiency.
I tend to gear upwards homeworks on sheets rather than inwards exercise books, simply thus I don't direct maintain to bear heavy books habitation for marking. If you lot do this together with your schoolhouse does mass scrutinies to banking concern jibe teachers' mark thus you lot direct maintain to brand sure that a) your homework sheets are easily stuck into an exercise mass (eg printed on 1 side, A5 if possible) together with b) that your students truly stick them in, otherwise it volition aspect similar you lot never do whatever mark at all.
Bear inwards heed that some students volition lose their homework sheets. To avoid excuses, brand sheets available for printing through a bird blog, Twitter job concern human relationship or an accessible folder.
You know how they state that lesson planning gets quicker every year? Well that's assuming it doesn't accept you lot an lx minutes to rails downwards the materials you lot used inwards the previous year. I've learnt to organise my files good thus I tin flaming apace honour what I'm looking for.
This is how I do it: inwards 'My Documents', I direct maintain a folder for each class. In the folder for each class, I direct maintain a folder for each topic, numbered according to the lodge I taught each topic. Here's an illustration for a Year 10 class:
I gear upwards them upwards every bit I popular off thus it's non time-consuming. Within each folder I utilisation a pose out for each lesson - the illustration below is the inequalities folder (if I wrote lesson plans, they'd live on inwards hither too).
Another identify to live on organised is emails. It entirely takes a 2d to do folders inwards Outlook. The entirely emails inwards my inbox are those that I involve to action. Everything else is filed away every bit presently every bit it's received, thus I tin flaming honour data really quickly. Here's my structure:
I also direct maintain total remote access from my habitation PC to the schoolhouse network, thus I tin flaming access SIMs together with all schoolhouse directories from home. All I involve at nowadays is a photocopier inwards my kitchen thus I don't waste product fourth dimension queuing to photocopy at work! I run into these things every bit fourth dimension savers but others think they're a measurement also far, it's a affair of personal preference.
If you lot acquire a motorbus or educate to piece of work thus don't endeavor to mark. It's non worth the hassle. I was 1 time thus busy at piece of work that I took a pile of mark to the pub on a Fri together with did it on the night-bus home. Not recommended. Bus together with educate journeys are a goodness fourth dimension to relax or read a book, but if you lot experience similar at that topographic point aren't plenty hours inwards the twenty-four lx minutes menstruation for relaxing, thus instead utilisation these journeys for catching upwards on Twitter together with teaching blogs. If you're non on Twitter thus bring together immediately. That's my most of import tip from today's post: bring together the community of maths teachers on Twitter - you'll live on amazed at how much you lot learn. |
| Expert teaching - taken from classteaching.wordpress.com |