Mathematical Thinking for GCSE

Recent changes in the mathematics curriculum attempt to push mathematical education toward fostering a deeper understanding of mathematical thinking. For several years, the Maths Hubs have organised NCETM sponsored workgroups on Mathematical Thinking for GCSE, and as a result, there are now a number of teachers across the region who have been involved in developing activities to encourage mathematical thinking in their pupils in order to best prepare pupils for the demands of the GCSE. In this workgroup you will be looking at what mathematical thinking is, how it can be taught and how traditional questions can be adapted to engage pupils in thinking mathematically
This Developing Mathematical Thinking workgroup is suitable for all mathematics teachers; teachers new to the group and teachers who have participated in previous Mathematics Thinking workgroups (as the latter will have the opportunity to further develop the ideas from previous sessions).

Being involved in this Workgroup means being part of a team of other maths teachers, to work together to develop your understanding of mathematics and your professional practice. It also involves a commitment to work with colleagues in your department on the ideas explored in the workgroup sessions.

For this Workgroup there will be four face-to-face full day workshops to develop ideas for rethinking classroom practice. These will be practical planning opportunities, where we will be developing tasks for taking back to schools in between sessions. The aim is to trial new approaches and ideas in your own classroom and to support colleagues in your department.

We expect that the Work Group will produce a resource to help other teachers teach plan and develop opportunities for mathematical thinking.

What is involved?

• Three one-day workshops
• Gap tasks between the workshops will include Lesson Study, allowing wider departmental participation in the professional development.
• As part of the professional development, there will be an evaluation process focussing on the impact of the Work Group.

Expectations of participants and their schools
• Schools will need to commit to the release of the same nominated teacher(s) for all face-to-face workshops and to support them in the gap tasks.
• Meeting time should be provided for the nominated teacher(s) to share with their wider department the new, useful learning and ideas arising from attending the work group
• The department will also support the participating teachers to summarise the impact of their workgroup participation as part of the professional development and Work Group evaluation.

Dates:
Monday 18th January 2021
Monday 1st March 2021
Friday 23rd April 2021

Venue: George Spencer Academy

Intended outcomes
• Teachers will hone their ability to analyse what it is about certain topics that makes them more challenging, and be able to apply these analytical skills more widely in the curriculum.
• They will deepen their understanding and classroom practice in relation to teaching and learning styles most appropriate to effective learning in the particular topic area.
• Departments will have a model for improving the teaching and learning and curriculum provision for any area of the curriculum their students find challenging.
• Students in the participant teachers’ classes will become more confident in their own skills and abilities, developing a deeper and more connected understanding of prior content, thus enabling them to better tackle the challenging topics.

Expectations of participants and their schools
• Attend the Work Group sessions and carry out a series of follow-up tasks within their own classrooms related to teaching the challenging topic being explored.
• Work with other members of their maths department, as appropriate, to develop the teaching of the challenging topic.
• Contribute to Work Group evaluation processes.

Funding
The Work Group is offered free to all state-funded secondary schools in England.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at
mathshub@george-spencer.notts.sch.uk.

COVID-19 Recovery
The ongoing impact of the corona virus outbreak and knock on effects on schools life remain uncertain. So, all Maths Hubs work will adapt to changing realities. There’s likely to be more live online collaboration, for example. In addition Work Groups content will address both schools recovery from corona virus related disruption and the central maths subject matter of each project.