Monthly Archives: January 2016

Mental maths! 1, 2, 3… GO!!

In today’s input the class were learning about mental maths. Today’s learning intention was that we were learning:

What is meant by ‘mental mathematics’ and its purpose in raising standards
To identify a range of mental strategies
About the need to develop confidence and competence in learners through teaching a range of strategies
To critically reflect on the appropriateness and use of resources available in schools

and the success criteria was:

We will be able to:

Define ‘mental mathematics’
Name, demonstrate and teach a range of mental strategies
Identify appropriate resources to support the teaching of a variety of mental strategies

The first thing that was given to us was a worksheet with a number of different sums on it. It was explained that we had to work out all of these sums in 60 seconds and I was already very nervous about this task. I then read which stated, “In the following simple arithmetic problems a (+) sign means to multiply, a (-) sign means to divide, a (x) sign means to subtract and a (÷) means to add.” This made me feel even more anxious about completely the task, especially in

The 60 second test!

60 seconds! The sheet had two rows of 20 problems which we had to solve in which I started to answer them in the order that they were given. After the time was up, I only managed to complete 9 of the problems which I was extremely disappointed about. In a class discussion, other students in the class explained that they did not work out the problems in the same order as I had. Someone mentioned that they tried to work out the problems that the same rule was applied to. For example, solving all of the division problems first. If I had used this method it could have resulted in being able to solve more of the problems. When I saw that others in the class had used the same method as I had and they were unable to complete the sheet, it made boosted my confidence. It showed me that I wasn’t the only person in the class who was unable to solve all of the problems in 60 seconds. I feel that this task has boosted my confidence in maths.

We were shown a number of different resources that could be used in a maths lesson. In groups, the class discussed how these resources could be used and experiments with them. These included:

First and Second Levels (CfE)

Number Lines
Show me boards
100 square
Swinging mascot/ball/apple
Patilla stick
Empty number line(E.N.L.)
Digit cards
Flash cards
Place value arrow cards
Relate to inverse of the tables
Chain (or loop) cards (variety of topics) ‘I am…Who is…?’ cards

All of these resources that were shown in this input were extremely interesting to see and use. It has shown me that maths can be more fun that I had originally thought. Since going to these maths input, my attitude towards the subject has completely changed and I am extremely excited about teaching maths in class!

Arty Farty!

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Today’s input on Art was extremely fun but also very interesting. The class were all given the opportunity to use different materials such as paint, pencils, pens, and collage materials etc. While experimenting with these materials, Fiona also asked us to think about the properties of these materials. There were 4 different stations set up in the class and we were given roughly ten minutes at each station.

At the first station, there was chalk, pastels and crayons. I used different colours of chalk on the side and found that the different colours blended well together. By using my fingers, I was able to smudge the colours creating a colour gradient. An advantages of this media was that they are very easy to blend together and could be used for many different art lessons. If children are learning about Guy Fawkes, a good lesson would be to draw fireworks and blend the colours creating a very effective piece of art. A disadvantage in using chalk is that they are very easily broken or crumbled. If one piece of chalk get knocked off a table and someone stands on it, it can be very messy! I used the crayons and pastels to create different patterns with different colours. I drew squares of different colours, flipped the page and placed it onto another piece of paper. By writing and drawing on this side of the paper, the image that I had drawn was transferred onto the paper underneath mirroring what I had drawn. This is a very good technique to use and could be very effective to use in an art lesson with my class.

At the second station, there was charcoal, pencils and marker pens. I used the charcoal and blended it into white chalk which created a very effective technique. I feel that this would be a great material, along with white chalk, to create an effective monotone piece of artwork. I used marker pens and created dots on my page. Using a number of different colours to shade and highlight. This technique would be great when doing pop art as an art lesson.

The final station I used different types of paint, block paint and acrylic paint. I used a number of different techniques and thought about how I would use these when preparing for an art lesson. By using a sponge I could see that there are so many different ways in which you can use paint. After drawing a design with crayons and pastels, I used block paint with a lot of water to paint over this. The crayon and pastel resisted the paint and I found this extremely effective. I found this very interesting as the different types of paint gave completely different effects. It enabled me to see that the different paints mix and blend together in completely different ways. Although the most popular type of paint to use is acrylic paint, block paint/poster paint can last a lot longer and can create beautiful pieces of artwork such as watercolours.

Overall, I really enjoyed this lesson as I feel I have gained so much more knowledge about the different materials that I have used. It made me think about different lessons that I could do with the children in my class and how I can teach them different techniques.

Picking up your children from school in your pyjamas? Excuse me?

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I recently read an article online with the headline “Headteacher asks parents to stop doing school run in their pyjamas” which really caught my eye. The article was all about a school in Darlington where parents were picking up and dropping off children in their pyjamas and on some occasions, their slippers! The headteacher of the school has written a letter to the parents making a complaint about the growing number of parents doing the school run in their pyjamas. I was extremely fascinated that parents would do this. I have worked in a primary school for over two years and I have never come across this before. I then went on other websites to look into this more and came across some twitter posts that people were posting about what the letter the headteacher sent out to the parents. Most of the posts that I saw completely agreed with the Headteacher, explaining that it doesn’t take much effort to get changed into daytime clothes to pick up your children. I completely agree with this and think that if the parents are coming into the school then they should, at least, get dressed. Most twitter feeds had the same reaction, that it’s just laziness. However, one I found stated that the Headteacher “obvio doesn’t have enough to be doing at work. Who does she think she is? She needs to get a grip and shut up.” This post was one that stuck out the most for me. Headteachers have a huge workload but I can completely understand why they have been asked to dress appropriately to pick their children up from school. The point that the headteacher is trying to get across is that the parents should be setting an example to, not only their own children, but others who attend the school. The headteacher feels that some parents will continue to wear their pyjamas to school to make a point but hopefully this will not be the case.

It was stated that “there were some parents turned up in pyjamas to see their children in the Christmas performances and even for parents evening.” I believe that is extremely important that parents are role models for the children and they should not attend events like this in their nightwear. There was a lot of positive feedback from parents expressing that they are happy that the headteacher has noticed and addressed this matter. Unfortunately, there has also been a lot of negative feedback about this issue. Mostly from the parents who wear their pyjamas to pick up their children. Headteachers across 11 schools requested that mums and dads show decency and respect when attending school premises.

On this issue, I completely agree with the headteacher. Parents should be setting an example for their children and other children attending the school by wearing appropriate clothes when picking up and dropping off their children. It is important that parents should set a good example about what is appropriate and acceptable in all aspects of life. The headteacher is not asking them to make a huge effort by putting on makeup and straightening hair etc, but only to dress appropriately. I hope that the letter that was sent to all parents will make an impact and people will start dressing appropriately to do their school run.

ePortfolio Reflection

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At first I did not see the point in doing an eportfolio. As a result of this I didn’t post regularly and when I did it was only my TDTs that I was posting about. The class were encouraged to read and reflect on other student’s posts. Looking at my fellow student’s posts was an eye opener for me and it made me see how little I was posting. This gave me the kick I was needing. I want to start posting more on my blog about things that I have read, watched and heard about education. Once I read all of the posts made by my fellow students it has really encouraged me to want to post, comment and reflect more on my professional practice. The other students have gone into so much depth and detail about certain things that it has made me want to go on and read more about these subjects. In their posts they have used images and videos which made me more interested in what it was they were writing about. Putting these into their posts made them more eye catching and more likely to read.

Most of the posts that other students have posted are not all TDTs, but were topics in education which they found interesting and has made me go online to gain further knowledge about these topics. They provide a lot of useful information and even topics that I did not know much about myself. They have inspired me to post more and make my blog more interesting by adding visuals and hyperlinks in my posts so that others can look at my blog. I hope that by posting more on my blog about topics that interest me, it will inspire my fellow students to do the same. I also hope that by reading my posts that they will want to research further into the issues that I raised. If other students do this then I hope that they will post comments on my blog which will encourage me to research further.

Just Dance!

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My opinions of dance is mixed. When I was at school I always dreaded doing Scottish Country Dance. Mainly because remembering all the moves wasn’t easy. There were so many different dances that we had to learn and I found that really tough. However, I always seemed to remember how to do the Gay Gordons! When taking part in dance I always thought that others in the class would laugh at me if I got the dance move wrong. After a few lessons in dance, I realised that I wasn’t the only one that was making mistakes and that everyone had the same opinion of dance that I did. This made me feel less anxious when taking part in dance and I began to enjoy it more. When it came to doing creative dance, I was in my element! The teacher would play us a number of different songs and the class got to pick what one we wanted to perform to. We all got the opportunity to show the class dance moves that we felt that we could incorporate into our dance routine. I loved this as I was able to show off my creative side. When it came to performing our dance, the school used to take us to a dance festival where we got to see lots of other schools performing. As I loved drama at school I was always really confident when performing and felt that it was very closely linked to drama. The class did our dance to ‘under the sea’ from the film ‘The Little Mermaid’ (my favourite film) so I was so involved I felt that I was even a part of the film!

My experience of dance will help me in delivering the dance curriculum at school as I feel that because I felt anxious about Scottish Country Dancing, It will give me more of an insight as to how the children are feeling about it too. Teaching dance will be a challenge as some children might not have the confidence in dance and performing. If I give the children options of different songs then this might make them feel like they play more of a part in the class and give them the confidence in performing dance. Letting the children pick the music and dance moves that they want to perform might also help overcome this. Some children in the class may be less able to do some of the moves that others in the class will create, So I feel that simplifying dance moves and letting them come up with dance moves will help them overcome any fears they have about taking part in a dance lesson.

My Rules for Talking and Listening

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When doing a language lesson it is important to make sure that the children in the class know that there are rules that they must follow for talking and listening. Below is a list of rules that I would like the children in my class to follow:

Don’t talk over someone when they are trying to speak – If you are talking over someone when they are speaking then you are not listening properly. This rule also applies to the talking inside your head. If you’re thinking intently about what you want to say, you’re not listening to what is being said.
When someone is talking make sure that you remain focused on what it is that they are saying – you’ll likely be showing signs if you are listening. For example, if you make eye contact with someone then it is more likely that you will listen to what they are saying.
If you have any questions about what someone is saying, wait until they have finished what it is they want to say before you speak – If you interrupt someone in mid-sentence then it is likely that they will forget what it is they are saying and become flustered trying to remember. It also shows that you are not really listening to the topic in which they are speaking about.
Always try and take part in discussions – If you are taking part in discussions it shows that you are engaged and have an understanding of the topic that is being discussed.

Drama

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Drama

After watching the drama video about structuring a drama lesson. It is clear how the lesson is structured:

A Drama contract is created
Warm up
Focus
Development
Visualisation
Soundscaping
Bodyscaping
Thought tracking
Evaluation

The drama contract is created with the class to set clear rules that they must follow in the lesson. This is a great way to make sure that all of the children understand what is expected of them. In the video the contract is placed on the wall so that they can has a visual of what they must do. The use the 3 C’s – Communication, cooperation and concentration. This is also a guide for the teacher to see if there are any problems in the class and where the children may have gone wrong and why.

The warm up is a great way in order for the class to prepare themselves for the lesson that they are about to undertake. The warm up gets the mind and the body active and engaged ready for their next task. The teacher can prepare a vocal, concentration or active warm up which is a great way in preparing the children for the drama lesson. It will also make them feel at ease as they will all be undertaking the same tasks and make them feel more confident is participating in drama.

The teachers then created a focus for the class in which they were given a stimulus. In the video the focus was a photograph but it could also be a piece of music, a story or a video. This can be linked to the topic that they are working on in class, for example WW2 or the amazon. This will give the class a better understanding of their topic whilst learning in a fun way. It will also give them a focus as they will generate ideas for the lesson.

They then go on to develop their ideas on the stimulus given, in the video the focus was some photographs which they discussed what they saw and what they thought was happening in each photo and why. This engages discussion amoungst the class, developing ideas and knowledge.

Visualisation is where the teacher will set a scene for the children to visualize giving them more knowledge on the topic that they are looking at. Once all focused, the teacher taps them on the shoulder asking them what they see, hear, smell and feel in this situation created. This also will show the teacher how creative the child is and how engaged they are with the topic.

The next thing the video looks at is the soundscape. They ask all of the children about all of the things that they would hear in the scene that is set for them then going on the create the sounds with the voice or hands. They will ask the children to make suggestions and think about how they would make these sounds.

Bodyscaping which is similar to soundscaping where they ask the children to create something with their body that is in the scene given. This gives them a visual of what they think that the setting would look like and how they would create this scene. The teaching is trying to make the children think creatively but only using their bodies to create the scene.

Once they have done this, the children will put the sounds and the movements all together creating a performance. Then the teacher uses a technique called thought tracking. As the children are creating their scene, the teacher will tap each individual on the shoulder and the child will have to vocalize what their character is feeling. This is a great way to engage the children with the topic that they are covering, giving them more insight in the topic.

Finally, the last thing that they do in this structured lesson is an evaluation. This is where the children can talk about what they have learnt from this drama lesson and what they want to achieve in the next lesson.

This is a great way to structure a drama lesson. If the children are doing a drama lesson on the topic they are learning about in class, it will give them a more creative way in learning about this topic. It is also a great way to get the children to communicate with one another and using their bodies in different ways.

Why teach maths?

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Why teach maths? That is the question. Before the first maths input, I was terrified of maths. I wasn’t good at it at school because I had to work hard to achieve and others around me seemed to be able to do it without any issues. My mum used to always tell me “I wasn’t good at maths, so that’s why you aren’t good at maths either!” I thought that this was true and that I would never be good at maths because my mum wasn’t either. I wanted to prove everyone wrong and when I worked hard in classes and stayed focused, I managed to achieve and gained much more knowledge and understanding of the subject.

There are so many myths about maths which always made fear the subject:

Men are better at maths than women
Maths is not creative
It’s always important to get the right answer
It’s bad to count on your fingers
Some people have a “maths mind” some people don’t
Mathematicians solve problems quickly in their heads
If your parents aren’t good at maths, neither are you

None of these are true. When I was younger, I believed all of these to be true but I now understand that this is not the case:

Researched failed to show any difference between men and women in mathematical ability. Men are reluctant to admit they have problems so they express difficulty with math by saying, “I could do it if I tried.” Women are often too ready to admit inadequacy and say, “I just can’t do maths.”
There are so many ways in which maths can be creative. Making patterns with pictures etc. Maths requires imagination, intellect, intuition, and aesthetic about the rightness of things.
The ability to obtain approximate answer is often more important than getting exact answers. Feeling about the importance of the answer often are a reversion to early school years when arithmetic was taught as a feeling that you were “good” when you got the right answer and “bad” when you did not.
It is not bad at all to count on your fingers. Actually it indicates an understanding of arithmetic, more understanding than if everything were memorized.
People who believe this myth often lack self-confidence in maths.But it is self-confidence that is one of the most important determining factors in mathematical performance.
Solving new problems or learning new material is always difficult and time consuming. The only problems mathematicians do quickly are those they have solved before. Speed is not a measure of ability. It is the result of experience and practice.
This myth is again to do with self-confidence. If your parents tell you that you are not good at maths because they weren’t, then you probably will believe this. However, this will not boost your confidence in maths and will event in you not believing yourself and not engaging with the subject to the best of your ability.

After the first input on maths, I have completely changed my views about teaching maths and how I feel about the subject as a whole. Before the input, I didn’t really see the importance of maths and why we need to engage with it. I now see understand that being able to do maths is extremely important in life and that we use it everyday without even knowing. I set an alarm every morning to get up to go to university and if I wasn’t able to tell the time, I wouldn’t be able to this. Being able to do maths is extremely important in life and is exactly why is should be taught to children.

I was nervous about going into my first placement and having to teach maths but I now can see that maths can be fun and enjoyable. The input has put my mind at ease about maths and has made me feel more confident is teaching this subject to children. When I go out on my placement, I want to find creative and fun ways to do maths to make the subject one that the children actually want to learn.]

ICT Animation

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The first day back at the university was great and much better than expected. After a long Christmas holiday I was dreading coming back to uni and getting back in the way of studying again (mainly because I thought that I had forgotten everything I had learned – This wasn’t the case)

The first day back my first lesson that I had was ICT and we did a lesson about animation. At first we were told to draw a small drawing in a piece of paper in which we would make a flip book animation. My first attempt was not the best as it didn’t really look like my image was moving. We were then told the correct way in which to do this and after my second attempt, my image did look like it was moving. Although this is a good way to explain animation to children in a class, it is also a fun creative activity that the children can do in an art lesson.

The second part of the lesson we used a program called Pivot Animator which is a simple stick figure animation program. We were played the song “Let it go” from the film Frozen as a stimulus for what we would make the stick figure on the screen do. This program is a great way for children to create stories using a stimulus such as a piece of music or even a script. It also is a great way for younger children to engage with technology.

Finally the last part of the lesson we used Zu3d which is again a computer program that children can use for animation. We used Plasticine characters and had to create a story and then go on to produce an animation. Firstly my group set up the first scene and we had to take a series of photos. Then the group had to move the characters slightly and take another series of photos. We had to repeat this process over to create a final animation. It took my group the whole hour of our Tdt time to create roughly a minute of work! This is a great program for children as it lets them get creative using a number of different resources. It can also link to literacy as they can create a story and then produce an animation to go along with it. It can also be interdisciplinary as it can be linked to an art lesson when it comes to creating the Plasticine characters for the animation.

I really enjoyed this lesson and it was a great way to start the new semester! I definitely see myself using these programs either on placements and when I become a fully qualified teacher.