Problem-solving approaches to teaching and learning in Maths

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Problem-solving approaches to teaching and
learning in Maths

• Fran Wilson

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What does is mean to be good at Maths?
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What does it mean to be good at Maths?

• You can analyse problems
• You can interpret descriptions
• You can work out what you dont understand
• You can see when different ways of showing
  something are related
• Having these skills will mean that
• You see how things work in general
• You are good at explaining what you think
• You ask good questions

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What it means to be good at Maths?

• Which will mean that
• You can work out which method you should use
• You can make links to reallife
• You can work out a way to improve
• So that
• You can find a way to solve problems.

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Parkside Federation

• Two schools in central Cambridge Coleridge CC
  and Parkside CC
• Differing demographic of catchment
• Very different achievement levels in Maths
  Coleridge A-C 33, Parkside A-C 75(2005
  cohort first year of federation)
• Very different styles of organisation and
  teaching.

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Parkside CC

• Mixed-ability classes
• Pupil-centred exploration
• Problem solving
• Discussion and groupwork
• Thinking Maths
• Three part lesson focusing on cognitive progress/
  learning styles

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Coleridge CC

• Classes set by ability
• Teacher-led instruction based teaching and
  learning
• Three-part lesson focusing on curriculum content
• Practice heavy activities

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Ethos for Learning

• Students learn better from each other than from
  their teacher
• Students have the ability to solve problems if
  they are given the time to think about them
• Students need to be able to work out what to do
  independently to create their own scaffolding

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Ethos for Learning

• Resolving conflict may require students to
  struggle
• Discussing methods is crucial to increasing
  understanding
• All students can benefit from the progress of
  some students
• Students can approach learning in different ways

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Ethos for Group Work

• Teachers help students to develop group work
  strategies by allocating roles
• Students discuss how theyve worked on their role
  in the plenary
• Students set targets in their group on how they
  will improve how they work together in the future

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Group Roles

• Each member of the group takes or is given one of
  the following roles
• Organiser
• Resource Manager
• Inclusion
• Understanding
• The plenary is then used to discuss how the group
  worked together, which roles they did well and
  which they need to work on to improve.

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For example first problem of the topic
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Plenary

• What did your group do well today?
• Did it help to have the group roles? How?
• What could your group do better in the future?

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What happened?

• Realisation that you dont have all the
  information that you need
• Identification of what information is needed
• Different strategies for working together
• Successful completion of some of the task
• Discussion of process

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Excerpts from a lesson
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The answers!
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The changes

• Students more open to working things out for
  themselves
• Developing confidence in solving problems
• Greater commitment to achievement
• More positive approach to maths lessons
• Higher aspirations and belief
• All SEN students included into lessons and on
  track for FFT estimates
• Better results!

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Coleridge Results - GCSE
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Introducing to a new department

• What does is mean to be good at Maths?
• How to teach effectively using group roles?
• What activities can be used?
• Reflection and review

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Effective Group Work

• Introduction of the group roles
• Use of discussion and plenary in lessons
  centres development on students taking
  responsibility for learning
• Joint planning, teaching, observation and review
  of group lessons in department development time

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Issues and Concerns
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• Establishing group work early on with a group
  how would you set up the first ever group lesson
  with a new class?

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• How to challenge students who see group work as a
  day off?

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• How to group mixed ability groups so all levels
  are learning and achieving?

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• How to organise seating arrangements in a
  disruptive class (difficult to keep control if
  not seated in rows)

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More information?

• fwilson_at_parksidefederation.org.uk
• Nrich May Issue
• The Elephant in the Classroom Jo Boaler