Category Archives: edushare

Maths in Sport

As preparation for our Maths in Sport input, we were asked to consider the mathematics used in a certain sport. I chose field hockey as I played it for several years when I was younger. I had never really considered that maths would have a part to play in field hockey and simply just thought about playing rather than the maths behind it. What I found in an online article by Tohi (2016) surprised me!

Field hockey teams usually consist of 16 players, 11 on the field and 5 reserves.

On the field, there are usually:

3 strikers: left wing, centre forward and right wing
3 mid-fielders: left half, centre half and right half
5 defenders: left full back, sweeper, centre back, goal keeper and right full back

Design of Field, Ball and Stick

A hockey field forms the shape of a rectangle, the length being 91.4m (100 yards) and width being 54.8m (60 yards). The design on a hockey field holds the following geometrical figures- 10 parallel sets, 16 right angles and 2 semi-circles. The hockey field is also divided into 4 sections; these four sections form smaller rectangles that are about 22.8-22.9m long. The line segments that separate the field are all parallel to each other and perpendicular to the point where they meet the side of the field.

The ball used to play hockey is a perfect sphere, so when passed it will go in the direction it was hit. The hockey stick, when it comes into contact with the ball is tangent to the circle at the point where it meets. The more force that you use to hit the ball, the farther it will go, so by determining the velocity of your hit you can decipher the distance the ball will travel.

It is also important to consider the weight of the stick and ball to ensure that the ball is not too light that a slight tap will send it way down the pitch but not so heavy that it requires a great force to move the ball. The stick should be quite light to allow players to use it with ease.

Positioning

When trapping a hockey ball, a player’s stick must be at a 120 degree obtuse angle when first moving the stick in a motion to meet the ground. This specific angle helps the player have more control over the ball when first stopping it; it also gives the players more time and skill to continue playing.

When hitting the ball, a player must position their body at a correct angle. If the knees aren’t bent enough and the angle is too large, the stick won’t reach the ball, however, if the player’s knees are bent too much, and the angle is too small- the player will more than likely take a chunk out of the field (if grass) or hit the field instead of the ball (if astro).

In addition to this, if a player swings their stick and the follow through has an angle measure greater than 90 degrees, the player will get called, making the other team now have possession of the ball.

Pythagoras’ Theorem in Triangle Passing

Pythagoras’ Theorem relates to field hockey through the triangle passing in the sense that three hockey players can successfully eliminate their opponent through correct distance measurements.

For example, if player A is 7m from player B, and player B is 5m from player C, how far should player C be from player A in order to successfully perform a triangle pass?

c²=b²+a²

c²=7² + 5²

c²=49 + 25

c²=74

c=√74

c=8.6m

Clockwork Structure

A clock’s structure relates to a hockey player’s tackling structure in the sense that a player is able to successfully tackle their opponent through the following:

2 o’clock
3 o’clock
9 o’clock
10 o’clock

However, in this sense, the stick must be positioned at an acute 80 degree angle in order to keep the ball connected to the ground with force and strength behind the hockey stick.

A player’s feet must be parallel or facing in outward 30 degree angles in order to maximise extra force and knees bent at a 120 degree angle.

From this type of geometry and maths behind positioning, a player is able to attain success in tackling.

Time

As with most sports, time is crucial. It is needed to ensure that the game lasts for the set time. A collegiate field hockey game is divided into two halves each lasting 35 minutes in length. Half time lasts seven minutes. At half time, the teams switch playing sides. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, there will be two seven-minute periods of play.

It is evident that mathematics appears a lot in field hockey and there are likely more ways in which it features that I am not yet aware of. This is the same for many sports and I believe that it is important that we begin to explore these aspects with children. It not only relates maths to their world but also may be a topic of interest for many children helping to inspire them and show them that maths is not just within the classroom.

Tohi, K. (2016) Maths in Field Hockey. Available at: https://prezi.com/3mk2gu_u74ph/maths-in-field-hockey/ (Accessed: 8 November 2017).

Can Maths be Fun?

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Many people scrunch up their face or roll their eyes when they think of maths, many believe that it is boring. I reckon it does not have to be that way- maths can be fun! I believe that we as teachers need to liven up the idea of maths and bring in cross curricular learning as well as looking at learning mathematics through play.

Liping Ma (2010) believes in four factors in teaching mathematics- Interconnectedness, Multiple Perspectives, Basic Ideas (or Principles) and Longitudinal Coherence. Above these, he believes that teachers must have a ‘profound understanding of fundamental mathematics’. Without a doubt, it is essential that as teachers we know the ins and outs of what we are teaching before we can expect children to understand it. We need to have a confidence when teaching mathematical concepts or else children will pick up on it, lack confidence in our teaching and will likely end up confused.

Interconnectedness is when links are made between different concepts such as adding and subtracting. Research has found that children learn better and show a greater understanding when these links are made. If a child is able to make a link to another concept, they are more likely to remember that process and also apply that skill to a new process e.g. they know that subtracting is the opposite of adding.

Multiple Perspectives simply means that pupils are able to approach problems in many ways i.e. there is more than one method and solution. This means children are not limited to one method and are able to choose whichever process they prefer, allowing an aspect of flexibility.

Early mathematics is about the basics. If children are not taught the basics, how on earth are they going to be able to develop more complex mathematical skills and solve more complex problems?

Longitudinal Coherence is similar to the basic principles as what is taught now will act as a base for future learning. It is about how maths links together and concepts require previous knowledge in order to comprehend them (Ma, 2010).

Research has shown that previous traditional teaching methods have not been successful as when adults were asked to explain how to solve particular problems and why we need certain mathematical concepts, they were unable to recount their learning. These rote and drill teaching methods such as handing pupils a page of calculations to complete has been referred to as shallow learning as it did not make complete sense to pupils. Parents and teachers are now worried that the maths that parents pass onto their children is not solid and accurate yet it is crucial that parents play an active part in the mathematical learning of their children particularly during the early years (Valentine, 2017). It is important for maths to be a continuous part of the home environment through aspects such as time (for cooking), money (bills) and telling the time to help encourage the learning.

The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child recognises that child development is crucial to the future success of society. They believe that the core developmental concepts are “cognitive skills, emotional well-being, social competence, and sound physical and mental health” (Valentine, 2017). This cognitive development includes the ability to think, reason, understand and learn- all of which are crucial skills in maths. They stress the importance of developing these aspects in the early years through stimulating learning environments, nurturing relationships and engaging social interactions which should involve play (Valentine, 2017).

Piaget (1936) believed that children learned best through discovery and that development of cognitive abilities was in set stages in which only certain aspects could be learned during that period. He felt that children could not move on to the next stage until they had become expert at the stage they were currently operating in. To Piaget, cognitive development was a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience. Children construct an understanding of the world around them, then experience discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment (Valentine, 2017).

In early years, pupils will be introduced to adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing using concrete materials such as blocks, cubes and linking elephants. Only once they have mastered the ability to physically use these materials to do calculations will they move on to using numerals and operations to describe calculations and then doing calculations without the concrete materials. This is generally the time where children who struggle with mathematics first encounter difficulties, moving from the concrete to the abstract (Valentine, 2017).

The four stages are outlined below:

Sensory motor stage (birth to 2 years): The main achievement during this stage is object permanence– knowing that an object still exists, even if it is hidden. It requires the ability to form a mental representation (i.e. a schema) of the object.

Pre-operational (2-7 years): During this stage, young children are able to think about things symbolically. This is the ability to make one thing – a word or an object – stand for something other than itself. Thinking is still egocentric, and the infant has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others.

Concrete Operational (7-11 years): Piaget considered the concrete stage a major turning point in the child’s cognitive development, because it marks the beginning of logical or operational thought.

This means the child can work things out internally in their head (rather than physically try things out in the real world).

Children can conserve number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight (age 9). Conservation is the understanding that something stays the same in quantity even though its appearance changes

Formal Operations (11+): The formal operational stage begins at approximately age eleven and lasts into adulthood. During this time, people develop the ability to think about abstract concepts, and logically test hypotheses (Piaget, 1936).

Margaret Donaldson believed that it was stupid to expect children to learn in unfamiliar environments, therefore, implying that children should learn mathematics through play in order to make sense of concepts and achieve great things. Lev Vygotsky was of a similar mindset and believed that learning must be done through social interaction which aids the development of learning. Friedrich Froebel viewed play as the work of the children and considered it the time when children did their best thinking. He was a firm believer in using play to develop mathematical concepts (Valentine, 2017).

Children begin to develop many mathematical skills and concepts before even entering the classroom. They encounter mathematics inside their own homes through daily routines and play e.g. the concept of big and small, empty/full, the concept of sharing and knowing what time of day it is. Another interesting one is recognising the number of things in a small group without actually counting them- a concept which was explored during the ‘Can Animals Count?” input. We discussed an experiment which took place in New Zealand where 11 worms were placed in one nest and 12 in the other. The robins were able to recognise that the nest with 12 was the best option. Some believed that this proved that robins can count, however, I believe that it show they can recognise a difference in quantity just like children can without actually counting- a process known as subitising (Valentine, 2017).

Play is important because it is a major part of children’s everyday world- for them it is a familiar environment, resulting in more successful learning as it is a meaningful context. Furthermore, play helps them to develop social skills such as sharing e.g. they can use maths in a role play situation e.g. play shop. Play also allows children to learn in their own time and be independent learners. They are able to control what happens during their learning and the outcomes of it. By using play to learn maths, children are able to visualise their learning instead of using a textbook e.g. use of 3D shapes. Play allows children to experiment in a relaxed environment where making mistakes is not an issue and written outcomes are not a focus.

There are many forms of play which can be used for learning. These include symbolic, creative, discovery, physical, technology, games, environmental and books and language. Activities may include rhymes, outdoor play, songs and role play. We looked at a video on maths in literature where mathematical concepts were used in traditional fairytales and stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears which changed to Goldilocks and the Three Squares. Something as simple as this is a great way to introduce children to basic concepts in maths.

It is important that children are able to shape their own learning and play. They should be learning through play in ways that suit them and meet their interests and needs. It is likely assumed that children do not learn much during play. This is clearly untrue, they develop their decision making, imagination, prediction, reasoning, planning and experimenting skills (Valentine, 2017). So to answer the original question- Yes, I believe maths can be fun if taught in the appropriate ways!

Ma, L., (2010) Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics (Anniversary Ed.) New York: Routledge.

Moseley, C. (2010) Cherri Moseley- bears and squares…. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ywN-4YlRU (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Valentine, E. (2017) ‘Maths, Play and Stories. [PowerPoint Presentation]’. ED21006: Discovering Mathematics (year 2) (17/18). Available at: https://my.dundee.ac.uk/ (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Can Maths be Creative?

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I personally believe that often in today’s world we can limit the idea of maths to calculations, equations and many hours of working things out. We don’t take time to consider just how complex and essential this subject is. Hom (2013) describes maths as “the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity and arrangement”. It is not just something we do in a textbook to pass time, it can be applied to the real world and is the “building block” in all we do (Hom, 2013). It is all around us- in nature, music and photography.

Have you ever looked around at the beauty of creation and thought just how wonderful it is how everything comes together? How each hexagonal structure in honeycomb is so perfect and they all fit together? Or how symmetrical a butterflies wings are? How about the enormous amount of detail in a sunflower? A huge amount of maths is within this. I live near the Giant’s Causeway and have visited it too many times to count yet without fail every time I go I am always mesmerised by how the hexagonal rocks all fit together to form such a beautiful tourist spot. With Eddie, we looked at the art of a tessellation and the level of maths required to produce one. As the shapes need to fit perfectly together with no gaps or overlaps, you must consider the shapes you use e.g. you cannot use a pentagon by itself. The regular shapes that do tessellate are: squares, hexagons and equilateral triangles. All triangles and quadrilaterals also tile but they are not ‘regular’ shapes and you often have to rotate them to make them fit together. These shapes are, however, congruent, which means they are the same size. These congruent, irregular shapes make the monohedral tessellations (Valentine, 2017).

Tessellations of congruent shapes, such as above, are called monohedral tessellations. The word monohedral literally means ‘one’ – mono and ‘shape’ – hedral. Regular tessellations are made up of only one regular shape repeated, whilst semi-regular tessellations are made up of two or more regular shapes tiled to create a repeating pattern. A lot of Islamic art uses tessellations of equilateral triangles, squares and hexagons. Furthermore, in Spain there are many examples of art in tiling such Park Güell in Barcelona.

Interestingly, a family friend of mine is very involved with training teachers in mathematics and has created a course about learning mathematics through patchwork (Brown, 2017). I think this is an excellent idea. Not only is it creative and involves maths but is something that the children could make a mini version of to take home or make as an entire class for a display. This would be something for children to be proud of and they could feel a sense of achievement once completed. It would be a good cross-curricular link. I would consider this idea for an upper years class due to the materials required. It has inspired me to think of an activity for younger pupils where they can stick pieces of fabric onto paper to create their own tessellations.

Here is what my group came up with:

The Fibonacci sequence has a huge part to play in the formation of sunflowers. This is a sequence made up of numbers where each number is determined by adding together the previous two numbers. For example- 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 etc. Some scientists and keen beans on flowers have counted the seed spirals in a sunflower to confirm that it was indeed made up of the Fibonacci sequence. This is very common across a lot of plants and flowers and is actually why finding a four-leaf clover is considered so lucky as there are so few! Scientists believe that flowers form this way as it is the most efficient way to do so- they can “pack in the maximum number of seeds if each seed is separated by an irrational-numbered angle” such as Phi or the golden ratio (Life Facts, 2015). We looked into this a bit further with Anna Robb by dividing the length of our rectangles for the golden spiral by the width which came to a number very close to Phi (1.618…). The following video explains what we did in class (Graff, 2014).

Snowflakes are another example of maths in nature. They exhibit six-fold radial symmetry, with elaborate, identical patterns on each arm. Snowflakes are made entirely of water molecules which have solidified and crystallised to form weak hydrogen bonds with other water molecules. The bonds maximise attractive forces and reduce repulsive forces, allowing the snowflake to form its hexagonal shape (Life Facts, 2015). Isn’t it amazing how no two snowflakes are identical yet every snowflake is completely symmetrical? I wondered how this could happen and Life Facts (2015) gave me an answer- As no two snowflakes fall from the sky at the exact same time, they experience unique atmospheric conditions such as wind and humidity. This means that there is a different effect on every snowflake and how the crystals form. Each arm of the snowflake goes through identical conditions and therefore crystallises in the exact same way, resulting in a symmetrical snowflake.

During my placement in first year, I decided to do a lesson on how to draw a compass rose with Primary 6. This involved a lot of angle work to ensure that each point was at an equal angle to ensure the whole compass shape would work. It also involved consideration of the radius of circles and how to use a compass and ultimately the idea of direction. I found it quite a complicated lesson to teach as it required a high degree of accuracy which some of the children struggled with as many of them had not used a compass before. Furthermore, the whole class had only looked at using a protractor to measure and draw angles for the previous two lessons so lacked experience. I am, however, glad that I used this as a lesson as it was interesting and the children enjoyed the link between maths and art to produce their own compass. Here is the link to the process of drawing a compass rose (https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Compass-Rose) and a photo of my final product.

Maths is even required in photography. Many photographers use the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to set up their photos. This is where the image in broken down into 9 sections using 4 lines. The idea is that if you capture an image where the main object/focus is placed along the lines or the intersections, the photo will be more natural and pleasing to the viewer instead at the centre of the shot (Rowse, no date). Another method photographers use is balancing elements. This is similar to the rule of thirds and is simply placing a focal point off centre to create a more interesting image, however, this means there is empty space at the opposite side. This is where balancing elements comes in- you place another similar object at the other side to balance the photo out- known as formal balance. Informal balance is when you place two varying objects at opposite sides of the image (Google, no date). Leading lines are another method used in photography in which straight objects such as roads are used to draw the viewer’s eye to the image and connect the foreground to the background (McKinnell, no date). The final method photographers use is symmetry and patterns within photos to create a balanced and aesthetically pleasing image (DMM, no date).

It is clear that maths is not just limited to textbooks, endless calculations and equations, it goes much further into the world of creative arts. I believe that more mathematical links need to be made within the classroom in subjects such as art to help child to explore all that the wonderful world of maths has to offer.

Brown, J. (2017) Learning Mathematics through Patchwork, 8 October 2016. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/learning-mathematics-through-patchwork-jill-brown?trk=mp-reader-card (Accessed: 8 November 2017).

DMM (no date) How to Use Symmetry and Patterns in Photography. Available at: http://www.digimadmedia.com/blog-how-to-use-symmetry-and-patterns-in%20photography (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Google (no date) Balancing Elements. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/photographycompositionrules/balancing-elements (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Graff, G. M. (2014) Understanding the Fibonacci Spiral. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A3JnWzgXGk (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Hom, E. J. (2013) What is Mathematics?. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/38936-mathematics.html (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Life Facts (2015) 15 Beautiful Examples of Mathematics in Nature. Available at: http://www.planetdolan.com/15-beautiful-examples-of-mathematics-in-nature/ (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

McKinnell, A. (no date) How to Use Leading Lines for Better Compositions. Available at: https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-leading-lines-for-better-compositions/ (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Rowse, D. (no date) Rule of Thirds. Available at: https://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/ (Accessed: 4 November 2017).

Valentine, E. (2017) Maths, creative? – No way! [PowerPoint Presentation], ED21006: Discovering Mathematics (year 2) (17/18). University of Dundee. 26 September.

Mathematics- A Subject of Worry or Comfort?

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Mathematics. One word with so much importance and relevance. One word which can either bring extreme fear or excitement. One word which is needed in society everyday yet so many people are overwhelmed when they hear it. What feeling fills you when you hear someone say “mathematics”? Does your mind fill with random equations you learned in high school but have never actually used in real-life? Or does it get ready and excited to discuss such a topic? Does your heart start racing as you think of all the exams you sat and the horrible memories come flooding back?

For me, hearing it brings back good memories of hours of enjoyment in maths class in school. Mathematics was always one of my favourite subjects at school and something I excelled at whilst enjoying the sense of finding a solution to the problem. Whilst I did find it hard at times as I got into the more complex parts of it, I always found it more enjoyable than English lessons. However, I will admit that I do have some worries over teaching maths. I think it can be so easy to think “Awk teaching primary school maths- easy peasy lemon squeezy” especially if you took maths to a high level in school. Knowing maths and teaching it are two different things and whilst knowledge of the subject is important when teaching it, teaching strategies are also crucial. This is where I feel a sense of anxiety over it. It is also why I chose the “Discovering Mathematics” module for this semester in order to improve my confidence for placement and future teaching.

Not all maths difficulties are a result of cognitive difficulties, sometimes it is down to anxieties over maths (Nuffield Foundation, 2017). This is why it is important to break down those anxieties and try to get rid of them as best as we can. Maths anxiety usually comes from your learning experience and a lot of it is down to your teachers e.g. if you had a horrible teacher who forced you to do calculations upon calculations and did not maintain a positive approach when you made mistakes. This in turn can impact pupils’ growth mindsets and change them into ‘fixed’ mindsets (Dweck, 2010). When pupils believe that they are not able to make progress and overcome past mistakes, they may begin to dislike that particular subject and develop worries over doing it in the future. Dread can fill their minds when they see another maths equation that they believe they can’t solve. We need to change the way pupils and parents think about maths and minimise the myths such as “it is a boy subject” (University of Alabama, no date).

I believe it is important to remember that maths is not just sitting down and doing calculations and solving problems, it is used every day in the world around us. As someone who does not have maths anxiety and enjoyed it, I aspire to be a teacher who does everything they can to destroy any anxieties pupils may have over doing mathematics. I want children to see that maths is not just sitting and doing questions from a textbook, it is a land of discovery which opens doors to new and exciting opportunities (Kendriya Vidyalaya, 2015). This is ultimately my aim for the end of this module. I want to reduce my own anxieties about teaching maths in order to help limit pupils’ anxiety over learning it.

Dweck, C. (2010) What is Mindset. Available at: https://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/about/ (Accessed: 1 October 2017).

Kendriya Vidyalaya (2015) The Importance of Maths in Everyday Life. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/The-importance-of-maths-in-everyday-life/articleshow/48323205.cms (Accessed: 1 October 2017).

Nuffield Foundation (2017) Understanding Mathematics Anxiety. Available at: http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/understanding-mathematics-anxiety (Accessed: 1 October 2017).

University of Alabama (no date). Math Myths. Available online at: http://www.ctl.ua.edu/CTLStudyAids/StudySkillsFlyers/Math/mathmyths.htm (Accessed: 1 October 2017).

Scientific Literacy

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According to the Programme for International Student Assessment, scientific literacy is defined as “ the capacity to use scientific knowledge, to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions’. This definition can help us understand the complexity of scientific literacy. It is not just being able to talk about science and use scientific words, it involves actually understanding the concepts and being able to actually apply this knowledge. Furthermore, it helps us understand that it is important to ask questions to reach a scientific conclusion. This helps us understand the importance of science within the primary school, as it is extremely important for the children to ask questions so that they get the right scientific knowledge.

Scientific literacy is always around us and even if we do not realise it we are always using it. An example of this is choosing what to eat each day and how this may impact our diet. Scientific literacy is extremely important as it helps us to understand aspects of science in our day to day lives.

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In the 21st century, many people are scientifically illiterate which leads to inaccurate media reporting. This can be seen especially in the controversies over certain vaccinations. For example, in 1998 Dr Andrew Wakefield published a study that said that MMR vaccine had links to autism and bowel disease. This report caused many parents to worry about the MMR vaccine and make the decision to not have their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. Due to this vaccination, compliance dropped sharply in the United Kingdom which led to various outbreaks like the measles outbreak in North Dublin from late 1999 until the summer of 2000. The opponents of Wakefield concluded that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism or bowel disease. They also found that a lot of Wakefield’s research was false and the results didn’t match his conclusions. This is a great example of how important scientific literacy is, as this controversy could have easily been avoided if more people were scientifically literate.

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Fair testing is a vital part of each child’s education. Through fair testing children can investigate whether or not their investigation is valid by changing only one variable at a time. This demonstrates that even one variable can change the whole outcome. It is important that from a young age children learn to back up their work with evidence and that they are able to provide reliable results. This not only helps when conducting science experiments, but also develops skills such as being critical and concise in their work.

Teaching fair testing in schools allows children to be more objective in their thinking and to allow themselves to consider different possibilities and outcomes, skills such as these can be used in all aspects of their learning.

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So, why does fair testing in schools link specifically to scientific literacy? Being scientifically literate in school means that you are able to take basic scientific knowledge, along with your own knowledge to engage within science across the curriculum. Many schools in Scotland focus in on STEM to develop scientific literacy as it gives pupils the opportunity, not only to develop reading and writing, but also to increase use of presentations (oral and visual) and debates in the classroom. Applying fair testing within science in school is teaching children to look for accurate results that can be tested again and provide the same result each time. Without this, it would be almost impossible to develop your scientific knowledge and ability, and with the world constantly changing and the future becoming more and more unclear, it is more important than ever that scientific literacy is a key part within each child’s education.

References:

OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] (2003) The PISA 2003 Assessment Framework – Mathematics, Reading, Science and Problem Solving Knowledge and Skills. Paris: OECD.

Turbull, M. (2016) Creating Connections and Contagious Enthusiasm for Science. Available at: http://www.letstalkscience.ca/about-us/why-science.html (Accessed: 4th February 2017)

(By Allan Getty, Megan Hull, Lindsay Ireland and Clare Gibson)

Get Scotland Dancing

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Before the dance input I didn’t feel confident at all with the idea of teaching dance in the primary school. The only experience I have of dance is a term of PE classes in secondary school and 2 mission teams to Spain. During my time in PE, we danced with ribbons as well as group dance which required us as the students to choreograph. Whilst in Spain, the dances were as a large group and included Cotton Eyed Joe and 5, 6, 7, 8. Therefore, I don’t have much experience with choreographing dances. I think these experiences will help me with teaching the dance curriculum in school, however, I still feel very inexperienced to teach it.

I feel that dance allows us to express ourselves including our feelings and encourages everyone to be involved, no matter gender, age, ethnicity and background. An example of this in my own life was during one of my mission teams, a dance was performed by those of us from Northern Ireland. The Spanish people were still able to understand the emotion and meaning behind it which couldn’t be picked up on in conversation due to language barriers. Dance can bring people together.

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It is interesting that social, emotional and behavioural problems are more likely to occur in 4-12 year old boys than girls (10% compared to 5% respectively). We should ensure that dance isn’t labelled as a girly thing and boys feel they are able to confidently participate and express themselves through the art of dance. Mental health is an increasingly huge issue among children nowadays. Dance has been shown to boost self esteem. Therefore, children should be encouraged to express their feelings and put their energy into creating something positive. The physical activity involved in dance releases endorphins which help to relieve stress.

By including dance as part of the curriculum, this allows children to use their creativity in a physical activity without paying for dance classes which some parents may not be able to afford. As teachers we are able to teach about different cultures through their use of dance, increasing children’s awareness of the world around them. It is important that we show enthusiasm whilst teaching dance to ensure the children enjoy it and participate. We should make children take a certain amount of control of the lesson such as what music they would like or what type of dance they would like to learn. My goal is to increase my confidence in teaching dance. This will be done through practice and increasing my knowledge by reading resources such as http://www.creativescotland.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/26149/GSDLitReviewv2.pdf.

Professional Standards Workshop

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On Tuesday 1st November, we took part in a workshop which encouraged us to look at the standards for teaching which can be found on the General Teaching Council Scotland website. Firstly, we looked at the four main areas:

Social Justice
Integrity
Trust and Respect
Professional Commitment

We sorted a variety of statements from the standards into these four headings in our groups. As there were four groups, each heading was then given to a group to give ideas of what this actually involves as a teacher. My group were given the Integrity heading. At first we were unsure what that actually meant for a teacher as we felt it was very similar to the Trust and Respect category. However, we came up with a few ideas including:

Sticking to your core values
Respect
Encouragement
Wisdom
Reflection

We then had to make our way around the other groups pages and write down any ideas they hadn’t yet thought of. As we went round it got harder and harder to think of new ideas as most things had already been written down by previous groups. Finally, we had to gather the main points from the task for Integrity in teaching and present these to the class along with practical ideas. We compiled the following list:

Reflection- It is important to reflect not only during but after activities with your class. It is important to look at both the areas you did well in and the areas where you maybe weren’t just as effective in e.g. if nobody in the class gained knowledge or understanding in an activity, it would be a wise idea to change how you present that information in the future to ensure the children are learning whilst having fun. This helps to improve your practice.
Courage/Confidence– It is crucial that you as the teacher have confidence in what you know and in yourself. If you don’t come across confident whilst teaching, pupils may pick on this and not feel confident in you. Additionally, if children see your confidence, this can encourage them to be confident too.
Openness/Honesty– By letting your pupils get to know you as a person, you are allowing them into your life. You become more than just a figure of authority to them and they begin to feel that they can be open and honest with you. As a teacher you are setting an example.
Wisdom– It is important to have a good understanding of the world and the different backgrounds people come from. By having a sound knowledge of different cultures, you are able to teach these and apply them in the classroom, allowing pupils to gain a better understanding of equality in a culturally diverse classroom.
Link between personal and professional values– It can be easy to let your personal values slip into classroom conversation. Sometimes this can be beneficial, however, teachers must be careful to ensure their personal values don’t come into the classroom especially in incidences when the values are likely to offend or encourage pupils negatively. Carrie gave us an example of a student teacher who didn’t agree with a culturally diverse classroom. This is not an example to set to children in the classroom and should be kept to yourself.
Challenging Assumptions– Within society today there are many stereotypes regarding race, gender and social class among many things. It is important not to believe these negative stereotypes and to be open minded as to what each pupil in the classroom can achieve and has to offer.
Adaptable– As children have different learning styles, a teacher needs to be able to adapt for all pupils’ needs to ensure each child gets the education they deserve and require. It is important to be diverse and able to adapt to different professional settings e.g. some learning activities may be best completed outside the classroom to increase variety in learning environments for children.
Challenging Yourself– You should not be afraid to take risks as they either work or don’t which means you can then reflect and improve upon it. As teachers, we should always strive for excellence and to do better. We want to ensure that we get it right for every child and need to include a variety of methods, we shouldn’t just settle for one that does the job. We need to go above and beyond for our pupils.

learning-styles-mindmap1 I found this workshop useful as it helped me to practically think of how to apply the standards from the GTCS into the classroom during placement and after university.

An envelope with potential?

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I love receiving an envelope. There’s a sense of mystery and excitement when you are handed an envelope. It amazes me that something so small can hold something incredible with so much potential. You never know what you will find when you tear that seal off and look into that small space. Envelopes can hold pieces of optimism such as acceptance letters or they can hold disappointment e.g. those ever so depressing bank statements. You never know whether that envelope is going to make or break your day. On Tuesday, during my workshop, that envelope brought me hope; It contained several items with purpose.

As part of my course, I participate in workshop style classes which put our team work skills to the test. I was fortunate to be in group two (the group which received the second best set of resources inside their envelope). The aim of the workshop was to invent something using the materials in our envelope to create a resource to help a new student to the University of Dundee. Groups three and four had fewer items than groups one and two, making the task more difficult for them. Inside my group’s envelope was: post it notes, pens, pencils, paper clips, crocodile clips, coloured paper, scissors, two smaller envelopes, blue tack, sellotape and elastic bands. Within two minutes we had agreed on an idea- a survival kit for a university fresher containing various essentials for starting uni life.

We used the paper to make a tray with a handle to place the items in and sellotaped it together. As we had some extra paper, we made some flashcards for the student to use when it comes to making revision notes. Meanwhile, a few of us made the other parts of the kit including a shopping list and a to do list and using blue tack stuck a pen onto each of these lists. It can be hard to remember what you need to be doing and when at uni with so much going on especially during the first few weeks. This is why we created the to do list. We wrote down various tips for surviving at university on the pieces of paper such as “Hand your work in on time”, “Join clubs and societies to make new friends” and “Make a list before going shopping”. Additionally, we thought it would be nice for the student to have something to read before they get started at uni so we composed a welcome letter and put it in one of the smaller envelopes. Without a doubt, for many students, university is a huge change and they begin to miss home. Therefore, we agreed that the other envelope could be used to send a letter home to keep the student’s family updated on how they are doing. Finally, we created a contents page for the tray so the student could easily see what was in it. We also included a list of any other essentials the student may need such as drawing pins for putting up their timetable and photos, clothes hangers and a diary to write down their work deadlines and lecture times/locations.

During the task, Carrie came over to our group quite a lot. She encouraged us and told us that it was very obvious that we were training to be teachers with our organisational skills and love for stationery. Carrie continued to give us encouragement and told us she liked our idea. We noticed that Carrie was spending less time with groups three and four but we didn’t think much of it and just thought their ideas weren’t as interesting as ours. At one point, group three asked us if they could have one of our pens. We decided that they could considering we had several pens and didn’t expect anything back. We later discovered that this was because they had less resources than us. We noticed that during group four’s presentation of their idea, Carrie seemed bored and was looking out the window and checking the time. This seemed quite unfair on them but we still didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until all the groups had presented their ideas that I realised that each group had been given a different amount of materials and then I started to realise the point of the task.

When it came to scoring each group, Carrie awarded the highest amount of points to group one who had the most materials. We thought that our idea was just as good as theirs and gave ourselves an 8 out of 10, however, to our surprise Carrie disagreed and gave us a 6. Group four received a very nasty 2 points. We were surprised at how badly they had done. Personally, I felt it was unfair because groups three and four had tried their best with the resources they were given.

Carrie then revealed to us that the workshop had been set up and the scores had been decided before we even entered the room. The main lesson of the workshop was that in the classroom we are going to have children from different backgrounds with different resources. Some children will come from a good background where they can get help if it is required whereas other children may come from poorer backgrounds in which they can afford to get additional help. Some children will come into the classroom with top branded stationary whilst others will have poorer quality materials or maybe even none. Therefore, it is crucial that all students have access to equal resources and opportunities so that the classroom is a fair environment for everyone. By having equal opportunities for all pupils, those from poorer backgrounds are able to achieve the same things as those more fortunate. This is so important for a child’s wellbeing as they will feel more accepted for who they are in a diverse classroom where each student is treated equally and has the same chances as the others to achieve their potential.

Even though I wasn’t in the groups with fewer materials, this workshop gave me an insight into how to relate to those who don’t have as much and be willing to help them wherever possible e.g. giving the pen to group three. It also showed me the importance of giving pupils equal opportunities as I could see the disappointment and effect that rejection from the teacher can cause. No pupil deserves to feel the way groups three and four felt. Each pupil needs feel comfortable in the classroom so they can enjoy learning and do their best. They need to feel accepted by the others in their class as well as their teacher as their minds and behaviour are moulded by these early experiences. We as teachers need to ensure that the classroom is a place of equality and acceptance! No pupil should be left behind!

Why teaching?

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For me, teaching has always been something I have seriously considered as a career. Both secondary and primary appealed to me, however, I realised that I prefer working with younger children. I enjoy interaction with children, gaining insight into how they view the world. The idea of playing an active role helping children develop their potential greatly appeals to me. I gain huge satisfaction helping them develop their learning skills. It is challenging yet rewarding to present new concepts and observe children as they gain understanding. While subject knowledge is important; good communication is crucial. This is a skill I feel I have developed through my experience working with children.

I have spent approximately ten weeks in a primary school. During this time, my passion for children has developed and I obtained hands on experience of what a day in the life of a teacher involved. I observed and assisted the teacher in a wide range of areas including literacy and numeracy. By leading reading groups, I learned the various levels of ability in the class and the necessity for teachers to consider this when planning lessons and to differentiate accordingly. Another essential skill I further developed was the ability to communicate effectively. This is vital for every teacher to ensure that children are engaged in learning.

I also spent 2 days shadowing a teacher in a school for deaf and blind children- Jordanstown School. This provided an entirely different experience, showing me the challenges that teachers in these schools face. Working with children on the autistic spectrum enabled me to understand that various activities such as hydrotherapy sessions help children relax and concentrate better in the classroom. Time in this environment taught me that children require various types of support and encouragement if they are to succeed with challenging tasks.

Another part of my work experience placement involved speech and language therapy sessions at the deaf and blind school. This allowed me to communicate with children who have auditory problems as well as children from different countries who do not speak English as their first language.

Through my time in the deaf and blind school, I have discovered the importance of teaching modern languages and adapting to each child’s needs. My studies in GCSE French and A level Spanish have helped me to gain confidence in modern languages. They have helped to make me more aware of what it is like for an international student coming into a classroom where their mother tongue is not the primary language spoken. By interacting with children who do not have English as their first language, I gained experience ensuring this does not become a barrier and communication can still be achieved. I believe studying languages at school equips me better to understand the difficulties faced by such children. I would say that I am passionate about the 1+2 Approach in Scottish Education as I am aware of the benefits learning a modern language has on your future. Observing modern language classes in Northern Irish primary schools has allowed me to see the various techniques used to teach younger children modern languages.

The ability to work as part of a team is an essential skill for any teacher. Through participating in hockey, netball, volleyball and summer teams, I have developed my teamwork skills. Other key aspects of teaching are leadership, the ability to take the initiative and be flexible. These are skills I have learnt as a young leader in Rainbow Guides and a leader at holiday Bible clubs for the past 4 years. Teaching requires commitment, enthusiasm and positive relationships with children and staff, along with good organisational and time management skills. By helping in crèche and children’s church at my local church and achieving the Baden Powell Award, I feel better equipped to deal with the challenges teaching presents.

Last year, I developed my leadership skills through my role as Scripture Union President and as a prefect in school. Taking on these new roles required good time management as I had other commitments including school studies and volunteering at a local youth club. I completed the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award, giving me the opportunity to take on many new challenges and remain motivated in demanding situations whilst maintaining a sense of fun.

Teachers play a vital role in today’s world having the potential to shape the future of children. It is essential that young people have dedicated, hardworking and enthusiastic teachers influencing and educating them. I feel I have many of these skills and will continue to improve upon them, making teaching the ideal profession for me.