Workshop Library

Engineering 'aha' Moments in Number Years K-8

Detail
If you have ever seen a student's eyes sparkle as they 'get it', then you know what an 'aha' moment is. This series of workshops is about engineering the classroom environment to increase the likelihood of those moments occurring. More 'aha' moments in maths for more students; and consequently more job satisfaction for their teacher.

If you like the prospect of those outcomes and are willing to explore a shift in teaching craft, then this series of workshops will help you achieve them. The course is rich with practical activities and hand-on resources that you are expected to take away and trial between each set of two day sessions.

Our main thrust will be in the number and computation areas and using simple calculators will be an integral part of the experience. We will draw from Calculating Changes, the Mathematics Task Centre and Maths300 for ideas, activities, resources and unit plans. Our work will be guided by the attitude that all students can learn to work like a mathematician in happy, healthy, cheerful, productive, inspiring classrooms.

Engineering 'aha' Moments in Algebra Years 5-10

Days 1 & 2 Background Algebra Makes Sense - Patterns & Generalisation - Substitution & Solution - Pairs & Pictures - Positive & Negative Rectangle Algebra Connected Learning Days 3 & 4 Refresh & Report Investigating Tasks - 3 Lives of a Task Task Based Unit Plans - Modelling, Invitation, Skill Practice - Replacement Unit & other Structures Research Support Student Publishing Assessment Opportunities Mathematics Makes Sense Days 5 & 6 Refresh & Report More on Unit Plans & Structures A Working Mathematically Curriculum Algebra Surprises Leading The Way These sessions are integrated and interdependent. The local planning team will be supplied with PDF files from which to prepare a printing bundle to support the sessions.

School Commitment In-house support to allow at least two teachers to attend all six days. Commitment from the teachers to trial classroom material between sessions and report at the next meeting. Completion of a detailed evaluation survey about one month after the final program in the series. Service Fee $1485 per day plus travel, accommodation, meals and transfers as necessary. Support Resources Minimum investment per school is either: 15 Poly Plug Maths With Attitude Pattern & Algebra Years 7/8 eManual 20 problem solving tasks 1 x membership of Maths300 web site Many schools have some or all of these resources, so it may only be necessary to 'top up' to the minimum number required. Pricing depends on your choices.

Testimony

1. The verbal feedback that I have received from our school has been fantastic.
   Stephen Daly, Assistant Principal Mt. Eliza Secondary College, who organised this course for a cluster of 3 schools.
2. Participants in the Mornington Peninsula ASISTM Cluster constructed the following group negotiated text in response to a challenge to list, in order, the five most important outcomes of the 6 day course:
   1. Enhanced the enthusiasm for and enjoyment of teaching mathematics in a fun and interesting environment.
   2. Experienced a better way for students to learn - working like a mathematician.
   3. Changed the way I conduct my classes - alternative ideas and directions.
   4. Enhanced learning of teachers with the tools and resources of Maths300 and Maths With Attitude.
   5. Provided opportunity to share ideas and work with others in the same direction to extend and plan units of work.
   You can see more of their evaluation here. It is part of an extensive article from this group entitled Engineering 'aha' Moments in Algebra which contains many examples of the influences the course had on their students.

Titles

Descriptions

If mathematics is to be other than a spectator sport, then students need to be actively engaged in learning - participating in challenges; debating propositions, making and testing hypotheses, constructing concepts, learning and practising skills. Great rhetoric; but if students who are encouraged to work this way are largely assessed in the traditional pencil and paper manner, they will soon learn what we truly value. Inclusive teaching practices need to be supported by a variety of effective and manageable assessment practices. This workshop day begins by exploring a range of interesting and challenging learning experiences. Alternative assessment practices are explored in the context of these shared experiences. Methods of recording the data gathered are also examined. Time is provided to plan a unit which includes experimenting with alternative assessment practices.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

This course is the starting point for the six day course above. Explore rich, revisitable activities which depend on using calculators in conjunction with materials. Explore threading them through the curriculum to help students collect and organise their own data about number and construct their own learning. Through video, visit classrooms to see these inclusive practices in action. Learn about web based support through Calculating Changes. Discover that you can influence the learning environment so that students develop a number sense which is enhanced beyond what is thought usual for their age.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

Fractions seem to be one of the major points at which students 'fall over' in their mathematics learning. If you have the feeling that what has been done in the past ... and usually done again the next year ... and the next ... simply hasn't worked for many students in this topic, this workshop will help you discover alternatives. Explore different ideas, activities and structures which have helped other teachers make learning fractions a successful experience. Fractions, decimals and percentages will all be involved in this practical, hands-on, problem solving approach that is supported by integrated software.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

For more than a decade we have been collecting stories of success from teachers of Indigenous students. The common theme in this anthology is Working Mathematically in a context of best teaching practice. The purpose of this workshop is to retell those stories to uplift, resource and encourage participants. These exciting learning experiences have much to offer every teacher. The session involves practical, hands-on investigations supported by photographs or other classroom-based evidence of student work. You will discover the link between the Task Centre logo and Aboriginal people; explore the Task Centre Kit for Aboriginal Students; learn about research evidence showing extensive improvement for Indigenous students; and fill your notebook with ideas to try with your own students.
A notebook computer may be useful.

Numeracy and literacy develop hand-in-hand in a curriculum that focuses on learning to work like a mathematician. The workshop provides evidence for this proposition and explores the development of student confidence, concepts and skills through small group and whole class investigations, some of which use integrated software. This practical, problem solving approach is well suited to mixed ability classrooms. Reflecting a Multiple Intelligences approach, the day is designed to challenge current conceptions, stimulate thought and support the growth of inclusive teaching practices.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

Times tables are close to every teacher's heart - and too often very far from many students' minds! A mathematician needs a full and effective toolbox to solve problems and times tables are one of the most important of those skills. In this full day workshop visit and revisit times tables as we build a 'brain picture' of multiplication and multiplicative thinking through:

• exploration of a conceptual model
• times tables practice with a problem solving twist
• using times tables as a skill to solve problems

Take the drudgery out of times tables and long multiplication, work backwards to explore division, add meaning through hands-on activities, software and purposeful challenge. Achieve skill objectives while engaging higher order thinking. Extend easily into algebraic generalisations and formulas.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

Explore a range of rich, revisitable activities designed to continuously develop Place Value through the curriculum, rather than 'doing it' in a block for two or three weeks. This approach more closely reflects the evolution of the concept of Place Value through mathematical history. It is more akin to the way mathematicians have learned to understand the concept. Hands-on activities and software will be used in ways which may be new to many teachers. Once the concept of place value is refreshed and developed, we will look at problem solving situations which require the application of place value to find solutions.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

Evaluation: Leopold Primary School

Staff became more aware of the importance of letting the students grow and work like a mathematician and the importance of allowing students to work out problems through developing their own thinking. They could see how versatile the Poly Plugs were in learning maths concepts and were challenged by the different methods of exploring place value.

Staff have been influenced by the range of hands on activities provided on the day that encourage students to think mathematically and the use of calculators to allow students to obtain instant feedback when self-checking their understanding. (They) have trialled Predict A Count and students are responding to this enthusiastically, especially with challenging their own abilities.

We also expanded our mathematical problem solving tool box by adding 3 extra strategies we didn't have from the ones you provided. Staff are digging deeper into Math300 to attain problem solving activities to develop students' thinking.

Triste Anderson, Assistant Principal

Four workshop days altogether which draw from the Maths With Attitude kits of the same name. Choose your own content area from:

• ...Chance & Measurement
• ...Number & Computation
• ...Pattern & Algebra
• ...Space & Logic
• ...your choice of content area(s)

to fill the gaps in the sentences below.

Mathematicians solve problems ... and the process they use to do so is completely identifiable. As we struggle to create curriculum suitable for the students of today, and the future they might face, teachers are learning to embed content within the Working Mathematically process. In the context of ________ activities, we will identify and apply this process. We will go on to experience teacher-created structured units in ________ which include hands-on problem solving, whole class investigations and integrated software. The workshop will also include research evidence confirming that an integrated approach to Working Mathematically does bring significant improvement in student numeracy and literacy. Participants will have significant time to plan a unit of their own with the help of the workshop resources.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

It's different, children learn more and teachers love it. Developed by teachers in the Calculating Changes network who have been working for more than a decade engineering their classrooms to enhance children's number sense, Working Mathematically with Infants splices Threaded Activities from Calculating Changes with Investigations adapted from Mathematics Task Centre and Maths300. Threading, which has a Constructivist basis, is a teaching technique using rich, differentiated activities for small amounts of time often. In this course you will explore several of these activities and investigations and examine the planning model teachers have developed to implement them. You will discover the importance placed on mathematical conversation and learning in community - whole class and small groups - as key features of the learning environment. You will also become aware of the Working Mathematically with Infants resource kit, which includes a week by week planner offering one way to prepare sixty WMI weeks across Years K-2.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.

Sometimes we think that we must have heaps of equipment and fancy computers to help students learn to work like a mathematician. As valuable as these resources are, the most important component is a teacher who 'lives by' the Working Mathematically process in the preparation, presentation and evaluation of their lessons. This session is a smorgasbord of activities built around pencil and paper and a few simple items like a packs of cards, dice and counters. The teaching model known as a Poster Problem Clinic features in one segment of the day. Best teaching practice is explored and refreshed and participants collect several ideas they can 'use tomorrow'.
Please try to bring a notebook computer.