Teaching Maths
Peter Tymms
www.cemcentre.org
Outline• Changing education• How is maths taught?• How does this compare to English• How does it compare to maths 20 years ago?• How do processes relate to attitudes and attainment?• Lessons for the classroom?
Big changes: e.g.Testing
• We call it “assessment” now• KS3 test dropped
– but 85% of schools requested the test materials
• O level & CSE GCSE, which is evolving– Course work controlled assessment– iGCSE
• Diploma• A level AS & A2 & BTEC & IB and entrance
tests
Can you date this?
“Learning, alas will someday be smothered by … examination, competition, the calculation and publication of results.”
J.E.C. Welldon
Reasons
• Dissatisfaction with the old system• Forgetting the lessons of history• Evolving culture• New evidence and new theories• New technology• New politicians
Impact of Policies on Standards• Primary schools
– Hundreds of millions £– Impact on reading
• Tiny
– Impact on maths• Modest
• Secondary– GCSE: more passes and higher grades
Changes in proportion gaining five A*-Cs at GCSE1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
19
75
19
80
19
85
19
90
19
95
20
00
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
'15
ye
ar
old
s'2
But why this discontinuity?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Biology
English Lit
French
Geography
History
Mathematics
Ability - A level students
0
2
4
6
8
10
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Gra
de
(old
UC
AS
po
ints
)
Biology
English Lit
French
Geography
History
Mathematics
A
B
C
D
E
A Level – same ability
Summary
• Massive efforts to raise standards• More students staying on• More gaining qualifications• Levels of basic skills have remained fairly
constant• Higher grades are easier to obtain
How do you teach Maths?
Maths 2009
1
2
3
4
5
6
Help fr
om a
nother
Giv
ing h
elp
Liste
ning to
anoth
er s
tuden
t pre
sent
Prese
nting
Work
ing in
pai
rs
Resear
chin
g
Using o
f IT
Audio o
r vis
ual
Pract
ical
work
Using h
andouts
Mak
ing n
otes
Notes d
icta
ted
Discu
ssions
gro
ups
Class
dis
cuss
ions
Readin
g
Preparin
g ess
ays
Paper
s under
exam
conditi
ons
Paper
s w
ith h
elp
Exerc
ises
(exa
mple
s)
Prese
ntatio
n by
teach
er
English Lit. 2009
1
2
3
4
5
6
Help fr
om a
nother
Giv
ing h
elp
Liste
ning to
anoth
er s
tuden
t pre
sent
Prese
nting
Work
ing in
pai
rs
Resear
chin
g
Using o
f IT
Audio o
r vis
ual
Pract
ical
work
Using h
andouts
Mak
ing n
otes
Notes d
icta
ted
Discu
ssions
gro
ups
Class
dis
cuss
ions
Readin
g
Preparin
g ess
ays
Paper
s under
exam
conditi
ons
Paper
s w
ith h
elp
Exerc
ises
(exa
mple
s)
Prese
ntatio
n by
teach
er
Maths & English 2009
1
2
3
4
5
6
Help fr
om a
nother
Giv
ing h
elp
Liste
ning to
anoth
er stu
dent pre
sent
Prese
nting
Work
ing in
pai
rs
Resear
chin
g
Using o
f IT
Audio o
r vis
ual
Pract
ical
work
Using h
andouts
Mak
ing n
otes
Notes d
icta
ted
Discuss
ions
gro
ups
Class
discu
ssions
Readin
g
Preparin
g ess
ays
Paper
s under
exam
conditi
ons
Paper
s w
ith h
elp
Exerc
ises
(exam
ples)
Prese
ntatio
n by te
acher
English
Maths
1
2
3
4
5
6
20091994
Maths 1993-2009
Investigation• Looked across all subjects to find a process:
– Used little– Positively related to value-added– Positively related to attitudes
• We found onePresenting your work to the class
Introduced in
• Several A level courses
• Over 6 weeks
• Some weeks used, some not
• Statements rated lessons every week
Results
• With more student presentations lessons were:– More stimulating– More Involving– More enjoyable– Easier– More relaxing