Moving from Performance Learning

Reading: The Mathematics of Hope: Moving from performance Learning in Mathematics Classrooms Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics Education, Stanford University

The reading promotes the idea that students need to see mathematics as a subject of learning, not performing and that is ok to make mistakes.We should be viewing these mistakes as learning achievements rather than learning failures. When students make mistakes in maths their brain grows! It also promotes the idea of removing fixed student groupings and replace them with flexible groupings that recognise that students have different strengths at different times.

It is week 8 and I have GLOSS tested a few students in the AT RISK group. They have shown some positive movement, which is pleasing, but I have started to wonder if there are other ways in which we could be co teaching. I think the planning on Docs is great. We can both see what each other is planning to teach. I like the taking turns to teach knowledge. I think we are both learning off each other. What I am wondering is if we are both taking the same approach each day, what happens to the other parts of Maths that is not being taught or practiced. This week I have set my group up with Khan academy because there is no where else in the day to do this. They are totally engaged and even Keegan who is disillusioned by the thought of Maths is having success and earning badges. He is amazed when he reaches Mastery in a maths area. I wonder when the kids get time to learn their basic facts and practice their Maths skills and knowledge through Maths games, if we are both teaching through problem solving every day.

If I wasn’t co teaching in Maths, these activities would naturally happen because I would be with the problem solving group.