Make it Count & Yumi Deadly Maths End of Year Summary

Sandra McLeod (Year 7 Teacher)

Gladstone Cluster

Project Purpose

The aim of this project was: firstly to improve mathematics

teaching skills of the teacher in the classroom

To encourage reflective teaching and learning in the classroom

To improve the understanding of the learning of Indigenous students

Beginning of the Year Survey how do you rate maths a) easy(27%) b) middle of

the road 73%c) hard 0% do you enjoy maths in your class a)yes 41% b)

middle of the road 55% c) no 5% do you understand why you have to learn the things

you do a) yes 73% b) kind of 27% c) not really 0% 4) how often do you do hands on maths a)often 0%

b) sometimes 73% c) hardly ever 27% 5) do you learn better with hands on maths a) definitely 36% b) sometime helps 50% c)no 14%

My Class Survey on feelings on Maths

From the survey I could see that maths was considered an “ok” subject that they needed for their future but few students really liked it.

The students felt that hands on maths was more fun and an easier way to learn

YuMi Deadly Maths 3 day Workshop

As part of the Make it Count Project I was sent to a 3 day YuMi Deadly Maths workshop. The main ideas of the workshop were the RAMR Cycle:

Reality Abstraction Maths Reflection

YuMi Maths Workshop

Using the RAMR cycle taught at the workshop I was able to reflect on my lesson further.

The link to real life was the surveys that the children took part in and the continual reference to reduction in price of items in the maths practice sessions.

The abstract was the conversion of the surveys’ results to a pie and then a conversion from the counting of the 100 beads to make an estimated %. The maths in the first lesson was the calculated %. Followed by further reference to the survey results eg. 3/26 converted to % is 100 div 26 x 3. Further Lessons were practice maths. Reflection was constantly re-visited.

First term we started with a Maths 300 lesson concept

These lessons were suggested by the Make it Count Project organisers.

From the concept I used ideas taught at the Yumi Maths workshop

My school allowed me time to observe another teacher who was also involved in the Make it Count Maths Project. She also observed my lessons

Lesson (hands on percentage)10/3/11I found the lesson very long. I wasn’t sure if the 1 & 1/2

hrs spent on the cutting and drawing of a pie chart was time well spent.

But at the end of the lesson it seemed that most of the children had the concept of the lesson understood eg. 1/26 as a % using the

Calculator after using the beads and pie chart to count the percentage. My teacher aide commented that most of the kids had made the transfer over to the calculator and if they retain the info then it was time well spent. The kids were focused during the lesson but I did notice some groups had one (more maths

Competent) person doing the harder maths. Tomorrow I will continue with the lesson using more

application problems on paper.

Improvement with understanding shown (pre & post test)

Student

Emme + 18%

Jess + 4%

Mikaela +7%

Maureen +4%

Rochelle +31%

Danielle +51%

Brandon +11%

Things to Change for Further teaching

Continually refer to what the kids know eg their real life

Use the same test for the pre and post test. Ensure that the kids use kinaesthetic learning

where possible to provide a link to an experience in real life if they have not used the concept before eg. Only some kids have seen % but after doing the surveys that had a real life link they could relate to further questions on the topic.

2nd YuMi Maths Workshop

9/6/11During measurement discussion Example misconceptions shown by students

was helpful Use of Kinaesthetic learning to build up

knowledge before formula was a key point for me

Even though I am teaching yr 7, I should still be using scales, non standard units for measuring and doing hands on volume and measuring activities (students are generally really struggling with this strand of maths)

I have many very great ideas to use eg. Make own ruler, making own scale

YuMi Maths Workshop10/6/11I found the ideas for graphs particularly useful.

The larger versions were a lot more fun and more visual than an “at the desk” graph. I also liked the use of data from real life particularly interesting. I think that overall I am only getting a small amount of learning out of lessons, where I could be going a lot more deeper and using the same information in many different ways.

2nd Term Cycle

I decided to look into a measurement concept as I have found that many of the children struggle to find reality in the measurement concepts that I am trying to teach. They do not have the real life connections and my aim is to try to find some links.

Estimation Walks (term 2) Lesson 13

OverviewYears: 4 - 9       Time: 1 - 3 lessons       Strands: Measurement, NumberLesson PlanSummaryThis lesson improves students' concepts of length and their understanding of decimals in a measurement context. In essence students are challenged to walk a given distance from a starting point and compare their estimate with the actual measured distance. Class results are recorded and analysed. The estimations are repeated with a view to improving both the class result, and each students' estimation skills.

Estimation Walk

The pre-test showed many gaps in the children’s understanding of not only measurement conversion but finding the difference of two numbers and comprehension of the written questions.

One of my Indigenous students said that she finally “gets it”. She was referring to measurement.

Estimation Walk Lesson

I found the lesson to be huge in content. The children were very engrossed in the activity but needed and accepted assistance with working out things. I think that all of the kids got lots out of it even though it would have varied with the maths knowledge of the kids.

Results of learning

StudentEmme 20% increaseMikaela 4% increaseJess 19% increaseMaureen 28% increaseRochelle 17% increaseDanielle 10 % decrease

Reflection on Results Generally all of the class improved. Most of the class improved significantly

especially in the subtraction of decimals Most of the Indigenous students improved

but the students who really normally struggle with maths still had trouble with the calculations such as regrouping.

I conclude that some of the lower students still need further work on basic skills.

Interviewing Indigenous Students After the Test The questions that I chose for the students to answer were

focussed on their learning about estimation and average and their thoughts on how they thought they had gone

All students were able to explain the activity in detail using language such as estimate the distance and working out the mean and the class average

All students were happy that they had learnt something they did not know after the lessons, even though one student had decreased her grade result in the post test. This student was able to explain verbally how to work out the difference between her estimation and the actual distance and was able to verbalise her understanding of centimetres and metres. She was also able to verbalise what estimation was and was quite excited about this new knowledge she had gained. “I never used to estimate. I estimate how big my brother’s room is, then I measure it.”

District Maths Workshop Involvement

On the pupil free day in term 3 Ian Tate & I presented some Yumi Maths ideas and lessons.

I felt that what we were presenting was obvious but the feedback was very positive

The main comment was that it was good because our presentation was practical, hands on and gave good examples

Maths 300 (term 3)

The lesson I chose is lesson 113:

“Monkeys & Bananas”

Monkeys & Bananas

Years: 4 - 11       Time: 1 - 3 lessons       Strands: Algebra, Number, Pattern

Summary This lesson is built around a tall tale about 3 monkeys

gathering - but not quite sharing - a pile of bananas. At one level the problem can be approached with materials and a trial, record and improve strategy. However the problem also encourages algebraic thinking and the use of spreadsheets. There is plenty of opportunity in the presentation of the lesson for mathematical conversation and cooperative group work.

Lining up Lesson- a similar Maths 300 lesson performed after approximately 5 lessons on how to pull apart a written problem using see, plan, do, check

How many people are in this line?

Improvement with understanding shown

Student Improvement

Emme +50%

Jess + 77%

Mikaela 0%

Maureen +63%

Rochelle +21%

Post Test Results

I was very pleased with the results achieved. Not only were most results improved but the understanding on the focus of the lessons were understood by the children. This was shown when the children had to write the different strategies that they could use for the different problems. All children had increased the number of strategies that they now new.

Reflection of the Area of a Triangle maths300 lesson (term 3) After teaching another concept during maths I found that

the children were really not understanding the concept well enough.

I looked for an appropriate lesson with a more hands on approach.

The children worked for over 1hr on this task cutting and moving shapes. Again I felt uncomfortable letting go of the control of the class. I continually felt it was my job to show them how to do it. Because it was very difficult to interrupt their cutting, they did not really listen to my instruction anyway.

After the lesson I have concluded that the play they were engaged in was worth while.

I think that this lesson will not be forgotten and this concept will be better cemented in their memory rather than if I had of put B x 1/2PH = Area of a triangle into the lesson and had them practice this rule.

Bob's Buttons(term 4)

Summary

The lesson begins by physically involving students in a game of making groups which is based on the total number in the class that day. On a signal from the teacher the children form into groups of a stated size: the number of groups and the remaining number of children (who are too few in number to form a group) is recorded. Then the teacher poses the problem which involves working backwards from groups/remainder data to find the original number in the class. Once the initial problem is solved, there is an extensive set of investigations which can be developed.

Lesson Reflection I videoed myself during this lesson which was a first for me. I could

probably reflect on how difficult it was to follow the discussion and this took a long time. This is why I need to really work on how I present and how I arrange my board work to minimise time at the front.

I found that the lesson was difficult because I needed to rely on the children working at their own pace and I needed to let go once again.

I roved around and tried to focus the children who did not understand the topic.

One student was able to get the pattern in the sequence straight away while others did not understand and needed lots of one on one.

Some students preferred to play with the manipulative. I tried to keep an open mind. In the second and third lesson the students all new what they were

doing and were able to progress and really focus on the patterns. The topic became very open with students working through the

problems at different speed independently.

Improvement with understanding shown (all students were close to all correct after the learning)

Student Improvement

Emme 30%

Jess 10% but scored 100%

Mikaela 40%

Maureen 3%

Rochelle 66%

Naplan Results (progress up to mid term 2)

Student Yr5Distance from state avg. in points

Yr7Distance from state avg. in points

Improvement

Emme -44 +39 +83

Jess -10 +33 +43

Mikaela -51 -57 -6

Maureen -62 -11 +51

Danielle -123 -72 +51

Rochelle -123 -36 +87

ConclusionI have learnt: Lessons where the children discover the

understanding are better than lessons where the teacher gives the information

Allow time for students to discover this understanding (let go Sandra!!!!)

To follow through with the mathematics of the understanding to cement the concept

Use these hands on lessons to help create a link to the students real life experiences

Students who are low level need to work on maths computation

My Indigenous students have: extended their mathematical knowledge,

have a more positive out look to maths and are more prepared for high school after this year.

progressed with their concept awareness. My 2 lower level Indigenous students did not progress in the tests but were able to verbalise well.

From my students and my point of view, was the aim of the project achieved????

• firstly to improve mathematics teaching skills of the teacher in the classroom Yes

• To encourage reflective teaching and learning in the classroom Yes

• To improve the understanding of the learning of Indigenous students Yes

Thank you for listening!!!!!