Saturday, September 15, 2012

Conference Circular Trip

I was really fortunate to receive got the chance to introduce at ii splendid maths conferences over the finally few days. On Sabbatum I was at La Salle’s #mathsconf15 inwards Manchester, together with on Mon I was at the JustMaths conference at Alton Towers. I did a 3 nighttime circular trip, travelling past times prepare amongst a huge backpack.

I used to set out really detailed write ups of every maths conference I attended - inwards fact I used to live on i of the alone people who did so. But immediately at that topographic point are loads of teachers blogging most conferences. This is fantastic! I love seeing so much enthusiasm for maths teaching. So I won’t become into cracking item most the conferences inwards this postal service - non because I didn’t receive got a cracking fourth dimension together with larn a lot, but simply because y'all tin read far meliorate write ups elsewhere.

If y'all create desire to hear my personal reflections inwards to a greater extent than detail, I recommend y'all hear to the ii conference takeaway podcasts that I've recorded amongst Craig Barton. The #mathsconf15 podcast is already out, together with the JustMaths podcast volition live on out adjacent week.
#mathsconf15
At #mathsconf15 I presented on Indices inwards Depth. This presentation took me months to describe together! I've shared the slides here, but send inwards hear they brand a lot to a greater extent than feel when I utter through them:

Do receive got a become at the problems inwards the handout if y'all receive got a few minutes. Delegates showed me multiple approaches to the terminal question.

The thought behind my slides is that y'all tin introduce them yourself at schoolhouse when your subdivision is most to learn indices. Links together with sources are inwards the notes at the bottom of each slide.

I promise to follow this upwardly amongst a presentation on fractional together with negative indices at a futurity conference. My amount collection of 'topics inwards depth' packs (which is growing really very slowly) is available here.

If you'd similar to read most the telephone commutation points from my workshop so banking concern represent out the conference write-ups from these lovely bloggers: Jess Prior, Atul Rana, Danielle Moosajee, Ed Watson, Richard Tock together with Rachel Mahoney.

In reply to a tweet most my workshop, Susan Russo (@Dsrussosusan) replied amongst a vivid powers resource from YummyMath that I'd non seen before:
I love this. I've added it to my number resources library.

At the Tweet Up I did around filming for my 'Pronunciation Project'. Thank y'all to everyone who agreed to live on filmed - such helpful people! Sorry most the parallelepiped...! I'll portion the terminal video soon. I simply demand to go out how to edit it inwards the means I desire it.
What I loved most talking to maths teachers most the means they tell things is that I learnt around fascinating stuff. Esther (@MrsMathematica) teaches inwards Belfast together with she told me that they tell the discussion 'upon' to dot at that topographic point is a bracket present. So for lawsuit they say 4(x+2) every bit "4 upon x + 2". And they say (x+2)(x+3) as "x + 2 upon x +3" amongst distinct pauses inwards for certain places to tell y'all it is double brackets. I had no idea! This is so interesting.

Watch out for my videos, coming soon!

JustMaths Conference
Like finally year, the JustMaths Conference was wonderfully quirky together with unique. The large audience of over 200 maths teachers stayed together all 24-hour interval instead of going to dissimilar workshops. There were presentations from the awarding bodies, Ofqual, me, Craig Barton, together with the organisers Chris together with Mel. I did a curt session on resources, together with was rather nervous given the size of the audience.

I absolutely loved the session Graham Cumming from Edexcel did at the terminate of the 24-hour interval - he talked us through around of the contextual questions from this year's GCSE exams together with shared around hilarious educatee tweets.
After the conference nosotros had around fourth dimension inwards Alton Towers. I enjoyed a really pleasant ride on the rapids amongst David Faram, Craig Barton together with other conference delegates. I overcame my fears together with queued upwardly for the novel Wicker Man ride but it broke downwards because of the hot conditions together with nosotros gave upwardly inwards the end! I'll endeavour that i over again adjacent year.
Laden downwards amongst my heavy backpack, I finally got abode shortly afterwards midnight on Mon night. I am exhausted. Teaching today was especially difficult work!

Thank y'all to all the conference organisers, together with to everyone who presented. I got a lot out of both conferences. Also, thank y'all to everyone who kept me companionship over the weekend! It was cracking to pick out handgrip of upwardly amongst so many lovely people. Special thank y'all to:
  • Megan Guinan for helping me out at the TweetUp where I took multitasking a pace every bit good far
  • Mariana Don Bosco for beingness such splendid companionship on the prepare to Manchester (Pythagorean triple proofs are my novel favourite thing)
  • Tom Bennison for kindly filming my pronunciation videos
  • Rob Smith for running the MA stand upwardly together with getting me a fabulous gratis t shirt from the guys at Texthelp
  • Craig Barton together with David Faram for beingness my theme commons buddies together with forcing me to live on brave!

I'm actually looking forwards doing a keynote at the BBO Maths Hub Secondary Conference adjacent week. But until then, afterwards my long weekend of conferences, I demand a rest...!