MPI 7

I've been really looking forward to today's session due to it being based on Geometry, which I am planning to teach in the coming weeks. I'm also planning a Unit for my team to base their own teaching around.

It was great to harness our first breakout group to share the dilemma I have with the challenge to my own pedagogical understanding of our change in Math structure. It hasn't sat well with me to be purely exposing kids to strands that are scheduled to be taught (based on our biannual Long Term Plan for teaching) through merely exposing them to it with a rich task, rather than explicitly teaching it. For example, explicitly teaching decimals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Rich Task in Geometry on Thursday. Statistical Investigation on Friday. Rinse and repeat every week for the entire term. I struggle with the fact that Geometry is not explicitly taught, with the exception of exposure within a Rich Task every Thursday. There are many concepts to be covered, some of which have potentially not been exposed in previous years due to the shuffling of when some areas or aspects are covered.

Geometric Thinking

Dorothy's spiel

I enjoy this part of this session because after ten years within the Manaiakalani framework, I find the kaupapa isn't as prevalent within our school environment and discussions as it once was. Due to restructuring of roles, the area of promoting (and in a way protecting) the kaupapa and pedagogy that previously sat within my Leader of Learning role has dropped away and not technically been assigned to any particular person. Curriculum and Assessment aspects have...along with me retaining "Digital Admin, Cyber Smarts and Create Tasks". There are a lot of crucial bullet points being left out. It's an uncomfortable place sometimes, to be the squeaky wheel that becomes an irritation to others. Yet I'm a firm believer in speaking up when something doesn't sit right with me. We need to challenge the status quo to justify its continuance or find a way to make way for change. We have had a number of changes over the past few years, which have led to changes of practice, not always for the better. It has also meant less people with the pedagogical content knowledge to push for higher aspirations for our learners in the way learning experiences are designed. You don't know what you don't know, but you can't hear what isn't given a platform to be voiced either.

Geometric thinking addresses all of the key areas identified for improvement. It's an area that offers many different opportunities for hands-on manipulatives across all the aspects in Geometry.

I had forgotten about the Math site links I had put on the learning site for learners to access any time. One of my learners launched into a share of what he'd learned on PolyPad during the holidays.

How do we capture and share hands on learning as well.

Math Talk:

I am loving using Math Talk to switch into mathematical thinking. It is a great part of my classroom routines now.

I find that my learners who usually aren't eager to speak are experiencing success as they bring their great ideas and out-of-the-box thinking to the fore.

These questions need to be visible in the planning to ensure that they are purposefully planned.

Loads of Geometric language to build into the everyday classroom. Many of our learners haven't been exposed to the earlier years' vocabulary. It would be great to get learners to be adding the vocabulary from their own first languages.

Loads to cover and build upon accross the phases

You can't beat the hands-on materials for learning this. So many oportunities for learners to move through the progressions with the following ideas for each phase.

My favourite
is playing Simon Says reflect, translate, rotate, tesselate! Kids love it.

I hadn't thought about using sites like Mathigon for reading to integrate learning.

This is in the Year 4 curriculum, yet I'm certain many of my Year 5 & 6 kids won't know what a polygon is.

Kids really need to be exploring, noticing and classifying the shapes to develop their conceptual understanding.

This is really good for looking ahead at what my Year 6's need to know to prepare for next year.

It would be great to get the learners to find images as examples of each 3-D shape. Effective Create task as a record of learning.

This links with Year 5 & 6 curriculum Geometry.

Pathways

Remembering grid references are always horizontal first and then vertical.

Provocations:

• How is our pedagogy being driven and encouraged to thrive?
  
• How can Literacy be harnessed to integrate curriculum and deepen understanding?

So what next:

I'm throwing the geometry unit I planned for this term into the bin!!! I'm so excited to incorporate a plethora of today's resources and ideas into the Geometry unit 2.0!!!

• I need to look into the Class On Air resource bank for engaging lesson ideas.
• Check out Polypad International Art Contest for next year.
• I'm going to try Maths Mini games with Gemini!
• Get learners to create their own Mystery Number! They love that game
  
  
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• Target Number - for students to apply their number knowledge flexibly.
• www.wouldyourathermath.com
• My Geometry unit needs to utilise the Geometry in Real Life video as an opener to engage learners from the get-go!
• I need timetabled reflection time each week.
• Sir Ian Taylor's Site - Mātauranga. Really need to explore the wealth of resources!