Research #1

In my previous blog posts, I have detailed a rich profile of students’ learning through the collection of data.

The academic readings that have helped me form hypotheses are outlined in the following blog posts:

Anthony, G. and Walshaw, M. (2009). Effective Pedagogy in Mathematics. Educational Practices Series, no. 19. Brussels: International Bureau of Education.

Effective teachers shape mathematical language by modelling appropriate terms and communicating their meaning in ways that students understand.

This reading confirmed I need to be breaking down the content so my learners can understand the problem. My next step is to build a framework for how learners can unpack a mathematical task/problem. For example, at Stonefields School we have a school language called the Learning Process, which teaches thinking skills to help them in their learning. 

Students learn the meaning of mathematical language through explicit “telling” and through modelling... The teacher should model and use specialised mathematical language in ways that let students grasp it easily. 

My next teacher act is to deliberately teach and model the use of the learning process thinking skills. By connecting the thinking skills to visuals, this will help learners know how to access them and use them when they are in the learning pit/stuck in their learning.

When reading this information, I was reflecting on how I can bring the Manaiakalani pedagogy of Learn, Create, Share the forefront of my inquiry focus.

As we learn the mathematical content we are also learning a process for learning. 

Create artefacts/resources to share what we have learnt.

Share these to support others in their learning.