MATHEMATICS

Selasa, 03 Desember 2013

PISA Day

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations of 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading.

Today the 3rd of December 2013 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will release the latest results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA Day is the start to an ongoing initiative that will look beyond the international rankings to learn how to improve assessments and education in the United States.
 
You can check http://www.pisaday.org/ and begin to find out the rankings.

ICMET 2013


The International Conference on Mathematics Education & Mathematics in Engineering & Technology (ICMET’13) has been scheduled from 17 – 20 December 2013 organized by the Mohandas College of Engineering & Technology (MCET) under the auspices of the Department of Mathematics, jointly sponsored by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment  and technically supported by the Kerala Mathematical Association (KMA), Indian Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ISIAM), and the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE, Kerala Chapter). 

Contact:
Dr.V.Madhukar Mallayya (General Convener)
Dept of Mathematics
Mohandas College of Engineering and Technology.
Anad P.O.Nedumangad
Trivandrum- 695544 Kerela, India.
Email:  mcet_icmet@yahoo.com  and crimstvm@yahoo.com
http://www.mcetonline.com/icmet/

Senin, 02 Desember 2013

National Seminar on Science and Technology in Ancient India

The Government College, Bahadurgarh in association with Indian foundation for Vedic Science organizes a three day National Seminar on Science and Technology in Ancient India.

31st December 2013 to be the deadline for abstract submission.

For more info please mail gtekriwal@vedicmathsindia.org

Minggu, 01 Desember 2013

Origami Slinky


Communicating with your TAs (#TMEpsom)

Last Monday (25/11/13) I attended the 2nd #TeachMeet held @glynschoolepsom (my previous school). After hosting #TMSurrey last year, I was able to relax this year and enjoy #TMEpsom that was hosted by Guy Jones @questionbeggar.

As part of the event, I decided to present on how we go about communicating with our TAs/HLTAs. I only presented for about 2 minutes and so I hope by writing in more detail about this here that some unanswered questions will be answered.

My presentation at #TMEpsom was really simple and revolved around the purple folders we use for each of our classes where we have TA/HLTA support.

I have one of these folders for each of 4 of my classes where I receive regular support for the students in my class.

The folders are managed by my TAs and they update the folders if/when we run out of daily sheets, when IEPs are updated and class details change. As a teacher, all we have to update in the folders are our seating plans and our schemes of work for that module/topic etc.


Each of my purple folders contain the following information:

Class List with all SEN details highlighted
Students Photos
Seating Plans
Schemes of Work
Current Levels/Grades for students on the Code of Practice
A Daily Tracker for teachers/TAs to fill in
IEPs
Reading Levels and other relevant data on the students

Before each lesson I have with the class, and when TA/HLTA support is given, I fill in the teacher part of the daily tracker sheets. The daily tracker sheet is a simple table with 3 columns, 1 for the date, 1 for the teachers' instructions for the TA and 1 for the TA's feedback. All I write in the table is the date/period of that lesson and then how I wish my TA/HLTA to support me with the class in that particular lesson. This consists of a few sentences explaining what we're doing that lesson, with whom I wish them to work (or withdraw from the lesson to work with in a small group) plus other details as necessary.

At the start of each lesson the idea is that my TAs pick up the folder for that class from my desk and look at what I have written on the daily sheets for that lesson. Then, at the end of the lesson, they fill their part of the daily tracker sheet in by commenting on how the students they worked with progressed that lesson and comment on any other things they picked up on in the lesson. This could be that certain students did/didn't complete certain activities, whether they noticed students struggle on a particular concept or had a common misconception etc.

The great thing about the purple folders is that it allows me to communicate with my TAs without having to find those 5-10 minutes in between lessons or after lessons to catch up on what you'll be doing or how things went; too often in the past I have tried to have these conversations at the start/end of lessons and rarely had the time to really let my TAs know what it is I'd like them to do or how the students they were working with got on.

By using the purple folders I now see, prior to each lesson, the comments from previous lessons and the progress of those students my TAs/HLTAs were working closely with. This then feeds into my planning for subsequent lessons and it may be that I ask my TA to work with other students they noticed didn't do so well in previous lessons, or take certain students out to catch them up on work they may have missed out on or need further support with. It also means my TAs can see what it is I want them to support me with before the lesson rather than having a couple of minutes notice of what they're expected to do. And, when there is a class where I am supported by 2 or 3 different TAs/HLTAs, they can be informed of how those students they are to work with have progressed in previous lessons.
Another thing I like about the folders is that I have all the class' IEPs and details of their particular SENs to hand. Usually these details are kept on the school's shared drives and finding such information can take a while. This way, the details are there when planning each lesson and they can easily be referred to when planning new activities and ensuring I am using particular overlays on ppts, grouping certain students together, changing seating plans and making sure those students that need to be sat in particular places can be etc etc.

The purple folders are something my school have been trialling since the end of last year, I believe, and so they are something I have been introduced to this year. As such, getting used to these have taken some time and remembering to fill them in as soon as possible for my TAs to access has taken time to get in the routine of doing. We have found some problems with them based around the fact that my TAs still don't always get enough notice prior to lessons as to what they need to be doing with the class, especially if they are asked to take a small group out. The prior warning needed for doing these 'withdrawls' means the TAs need time to prepare resources perhaps, or just find a room/space they can go with the students they are being asked to take out and work with. So, in addition to the folders, if I know I'd like my TAs to take certain students out I try to e-mail them the day before the lesson (at least) so they have time to prepare.

The folders are working to improve the communication between my TAs and I and they provide great evidence of the support and provision we are giving to certain students and my classes in general. If anyone whats any further information about our purple folders then get in touch by commenting below or contact me on Twitter @mrprcollins

Advent Calendar Resource

Earlier this year, in February, I found the following resource (by dannytheref [@dannytheref])...

http://goo.gl/X3oP5u

The only problem with this was that I was 2 months too late! However, having remembered the resource, I relocated it earlier this week with the intention of using it this month in the lead up to Christmas for some festive starter activities to kick off my Mathematics lessons.

If you haven't seen/used the resource before you can download it from the TES by clicking on the link above. Here's what the resource includes...

The home slide is complete with a festive jingle. You then click on the doors to reveal the starter task/activity to do.

I recommend reading the instructions and answers document that accompanies the resource to fully understand all of the different activities on offer. These could be done on a daily basis with your classes or just randomly depending on when/how much you want to use this in your lessons!

My favourites are:

The product game - the resource takes you to a website to play this
Heads or Tails - classic!
'One of these things is not like the other thing' - sung by the Cookie Monster...what's not to love!
Pointless - brilliant game
The boys vs girls head to head - the accompanying music is brilliant

I know I'll be using this in my lessons this month. If you do too let me know how the resource goes down and don't forget to leave a comment for dannytheref on his resource too!




Kamis, 28 November 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope this will be a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving Day for you. May we all be truly grateful for the innumerable blessings God has given to us!



- Gaurav Tekriwal
   www.vedicmathsindia.org

Kamis, 21 November 2013

November 21, 2013








Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Rabu, 20 November 2013

November 20, 2013








Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Selasa, 19 November 2013

November 19, 2013








Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Senin, 18 November 2013

November 18, 2013







Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Jumat, 15 November 2013

November 15, 2013






Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Kamis, 14 November 2013

November 14, 2013





Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.










Rabu, 13 November 2013

November 13, 2013






Solution at the bottom of this page.
Like this problem? Try our Contest Problem Book series!







Curriculum Inspirations is a collection of resources for Middle and High School Math Teachers that demonstrate practical ways to engage students in the lively exploration of mathematics and mathematical thinking using problems from America’s longest-running and most successful mathematics competition. Developed by James Tanton, these resources include Ten Problem Solving Strategy Essays and Curriculum Bursts.