Teaching Maths this year has demanded that I develop my knowledge and my craft, encouraged me re-evaluate my thinking on assessment (progress, performance and interleaving) as well as increasing my appreciation of my colleagues. Not being a subject specialist has it’s obvious limitations, I know I am missing the maths sparkle, how much am I missing?
Teaching Maths has really intensified my professional interest in marking and feedback however, when you have to learn and plan almost all lessons (not vastly dissimilar to being an NQT) every minute counts. To date in Maths, I have been more prone to mark in class and use pupils as assessors. Why? I think it is due to the more concrete marking experience and second, I see marking and moderation as an excellent teaching strategy.
if I share verbal feebback, I will often ask pupils to jot it down in their books. I expect the pupils to respond.
Sometimes I use dot and circle. A dot to note a error. The circle that it has been fund and corrected.
Marking in lessons, during lessons, as AfL is a regularly used.
I interleave prior learning in every lesson start – recap / expect knowledge is coded / quizzed von a blue slide. Blue slides recaps learning from the previous lesson (40%), the current unit (30%) and previous units (30%). I am confident that most of the pupils have learnt their square numbers and square roots by the two sets of four rapid fire recap lessons.
Feedback with direction / support – Try that again, however this time start with…
Marking to consolidate – Marking tailored to correction, to a model answer.
Marking to accelerate – moving the pupil through to more challenging tasks, tasks with greater demand or challenge. MyMaths textbooks often has six, seven or more parts. Pupils know that if they can complete the first three without challenge, they move to the next question. Pupils are not lazy, they are efficient. I encourage pupils to find the “struggle.”
Marking to challenge – exam technique and contextual application is a real challenge for most of the pupils in our class. We have found that understanding the question is as significant barrier as applying the maths.
Self assessment is used following every MyPractice papers.
Peer assessment and small group work brings 2, 3 or 4 coaches into the classroom. Some pupils have really consolidated their own understanding, teaching and coaching their fellow pupils.
Lastly, I have used MyMaths to personalise and target learning blind spots. I only hope that MyMaths improve their search and filter options. I am sure there are other lean marking ideas, feel free to add them.
