Words Of Wisdom: Education Foundation Gcse

As expected, the final #mathsTLP of the schoolhouse yr was a flake quieter than usual. As host, 1 of my jobs is to move on the chat flowing. So I filled a gap inwards conversation amongst a question:

I hadn't been planning to inquire this query - it was only the outset affair that came to heed at a minute when I wanted to acquire people talking. But in addition to then something quite extraordinary happened. Over the few days that followed, I was inundated amongst helpful advice - I received over a hundred replies to my question. These words of wisdom come upwards from experienced teachers. Teachers who've taught depression attainers, cared most them, believed inwards them. Teachers who've done everything they tin give the axe to give these students opportunities inwards life, who've position huge amounts of seek into supporting them. I admire these teachers. I desire to last 1 of these teachers.

"Throw away the handbook"  @solvemymaths

I received so much advice that it was all a flake overwhelming. I went dorsum through every notification in addition to made notes. It would last incorrect non to portion or so of the ideas here. After all, I'm non the exclusively instructor who'll last educational activity depression attainers for the outset fourth dimension side past times side year. I promise that others volition also create goodness from all this goodness advice.

1. Building relationships

"Make them believe inwards themselves"  @FKRitson

There were lots of replies most how to construct self-esteem, confidence in addition to trust. Advice included:

• "Friday biscuits or a loving cup of tea industrial plant wonders. Instill confidence & allow them know y'all believe inwards them. With 1 of my groups nosotros took a lesson off to blueprint in addition to decorate our ain mugs. Best quote 'Miss, you've got a teapot! That's similar a dead posh restaurant'".    ‏@Ms_Kmp. "I was amazed at the deport upon a loving cup of tea had for 1 immature man. Came for assist & a cuppa every Wed!"  ‏@takepi21
• "Instilling confidence is the key. Make the lessons non-threatening (they are inwards the laid because they "fear" maths).... Make it dissimilar to the diet they've been served hence far; seek stuff, it volition breed confidence."  ‏@andylutwyche 
• "Your sales pitch is that it's 'us against the exam', 'we tin give the axe shell this'. Their self belief inwards maths volition last low, they volition last v sensitive to feeling patronised".  ‏@BodilUK 
• "Give them lots of show to exhibit they're getting C degree operate right. You're non promising it equally a grade, but they demand possibility."  @adamcreen 
• "Lots of repetition! They'll prob last depression inwards confidence so construct this up. Word things inwards ways that don't belittle them. ... If they don't acquire something, in addition to then "maybe I didn't explicate it really well..." It helps their confidence."  @WelshReady 

2. Pick your battles

"As Napoleon said 'If y'all can't last potent everywhere, option a house in addition to last potent there.'"   ‏@MrMattock

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of replies were most choosing which topics to teach. I won't last able to encompass the whole syllabus - far from it - so I should focus on a express number of cardinal topics.

• "If y'all tin give the axe give them a quick win … that is ever good. Index laws are prissy equally they are legitimately C-Grade but tardily equally hell! ... They won't acquire goodness at it all, so create upwards one's heed what y'all desire them to empathize in addition to reinforce that."  ‏@MrMattock 
• "Don't last picky either, they mightiness acquire Pythag but non directed numbers."  ‏@DJUdall 
• "Don't last jump past times the degree of a theme - expanding brackets is easier than many due east degree topics! … Focus on topics amongst visual cues in addition to predictable processes, such equally transformations or scatter graphs."  ‏@danicquinn 
• "When gearing upwards for the exam, y'all may desire to condense your curriculum into 'hot topics'. Keep it focussed. ... We picked out the favourite thirty or so query types from exams over the final v years."  @jase_wanner 
• "Doubt you'll last able to acquire through everything. Pick most of import bits in addition to instruct them well" @Teachanana

Many teachers told me that numeracy is key. I volition demand to conduct maintain "a relentless focus on marrow numeracy skills" (@ThainMike).

"Numeracy skills in addition to times tables. Again, over again in addition to and then or so more!" @RandomNumeracy

3. Memorisation

"Go for memorisation through every memorisation technique known to man"  @solvemymaths

For the vast bulk of our students, conceptual agreement is vital. Teaching maths 'properly' is a maths teacher's raison d'être. But these are especial circumstances. Give a depression attaining pupil the chance to acquire a C inwards GCSE Maths - past times whatever agency necessary - in addition to you've opened a window of chance inwards a immature person's life.

• "I uncovering repetition helps. Do things speedily but repeat often".  ‏@MissMathsDla
• "Bring multifariousness to memorisation: flash cards, retentivity Rex (one stands upwards in addition to gets drum curl earlier reciting outset 10 primes, etc)... "  @danicquinn
• "Most of their problems are issues amongst fluency so they can't *get* C/D degree topics when modelled. Remedial operate on number is essential for quite a piece at the start of the year. ... I ever start amongst outset xv squares, outset v cubes, in addition to roots/ cube roots. Make it compulsory to last able to recite them inwards 10 seconds inside a calendar week & time/ game them.  @StuartLock
• "Find interesting ways to reinforce cardinal number concepts; that volition last their most serious need"  @MrMattock
• "You desire lightheaded dances, phrases, gesticulations, daft images to associate...everything". @solvemymaths
• "YMCA becomes y = mx + c... angle sizes memorised past times arm actions... and the circle vocal is a must. Diddle, the median' s the middle"  @7wittermiss.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 number of people recommended Sticky Studying for memorisation techniques.

4. Resources

"Never allow them allow move of the basics. Drill them inwards every lesson".  @DJUdall

Many teachers recommended resources. The by in addition to large mutual recommendation was Numeracy 5-a-day from Corbettmaths.

Times Table Rockstars was also recommended. @MrReddyMaths suggested adapting it past times educational activity the tables upfront each calendar week in addition to cutting out the music - "Emphasise 'competition' amongst themselves past times highlighting how much they're improving over the week".

Mathsbox was recommended, equally were Andy Lutwyche's resources on TES, Bread in addition to Butter resources from Just Maths in addition to Essential Skills from MathedUp!.

Thanks to @tessmaths for sending me a laid of colourful Foundation Revision Cards from the MA - these volition last really helpful.

@DIRT_expert suggested using Cumulative Starters to construct upwards skills in addition to tackle fear. Students are asked the same questions at the start of each lesson but to a greater extent than questions are added equally they larn novel content.

5. More ideas

"You mightn't taste lessons at times; you'll taste the intellectual challenge it'll give you"  @siobhanorb

Here are or so to a greater extent than things I demand to think most inwards my planning:

• I demand to uncovering out most the literacy levels of my students in addition to their attendance. 
• A few people suggested entering them for Higher GCSE rather than Foundation (there are mixed views on this). 
• @ColleenYoung suggested I create lots of curt mini-tests amongst immediate feedback. 
• ‏@danicquinn suggested mini mocks, where y'all outset operate together on a "mock mock" (same questions, dissimilar numbers) earlier the existent one.
• @NEdge9 talked most the importance of students knowing the important of key words. She said that sometimes they tin give the axe create the maths but can't recollect what the words mean. 
• @missdenzil said that lessons should comprise small tasks, lots of dissimilar activities, rewards, competition, whiteboard work, in addition to mastering basics.

Summary

@MrBenWard summarised the cardinal messages nicely inwards this tweet: 

When I outset come across my novel degree inwards September, no doubtfulness or so things volition conduct maintain me past times surprise. But the advice I received this calendar week has got my caput buzzing amongst ideas in addition to I experience laid - dare I tell excited - to acquire started amongst this class.

Huge thank y'all to all who tweeted in addition to emailed me ideas in addition to resources. In lodge to move on this post a reasonable length, I haven't been able to include all the replies I received, but every unmarried slice of advice was valuable in addition to volition last factored into my planning for side past times side year. Thanks also to @ColinTheMathmo for helping me collate in addition to organise the tweets. 

I'm so grateful that I tin give the axe rely on the maths instructor Twitter community to back upwards me throughout the year. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 challenge lies ahead, but I've got adept advisers at manus to catch me through it.