Here’s what I learned:

A.        I am a rescuer!!! I hate to see too many big junior primary eyes staring up at me pleading for a clue to begin somewhere!! 

B.        Too often I get caught up in the answers during Mental Routines and that’s why sometimes those golly MR’s seem like they are taking me forever to get through!!

So what’s my interpretation of this learning:

A.        I think as I’ve gone down in the year levels (middle to junior primary) I’ve given my students less time for them to have to “cope” on their own (and I’ve also become a mum during that time too).  I think my “mummy instinct” jumps in.  At home I am remembering to make sure I give my kids enough time and opportunities to learn on their own how to tackle problems (like how to butter their toast) and this is what I have to do with my students at school. 

B.        I need to go back to my Mental Routines being a little bit ugly instead of being the rescuer–I think I am rescuing myself from feeling like I’ve failed if things get a bit too ugly instead of giving the kids an opportunity to learn themselves or through interactions with peers.

Now my action plan to build on this learning is:

A.        I can remember being told on lots of occasions that kids need time to think.  Each Tuesday and Thursday in our class we are going to provide problematized situations for the basis of our maths lessons.  I think this will give the kids opportunities to build on the strategies that we learn through our mental routines, more collaborative learning and I’ll begin to see that not being a rescuer means I’m not hurting anyone either.  We will be learners together.

B.        In our class we have made a word wall – to keep a track of the new language that we’re introducing and to keep reminding me of the language to use.  I am using timers to keep MR short and I will jot notes onto a whiteboard to remind myself for a MINI-lesson and not getting fussed about making an amazing anchor chart, but a useful and student lead/owned anchor chart.

A “quote” that I has played in my mind since our last session: 
I can educate your child for yesterday or educate your child for tomorrow.  If I educate your child for yesterday, they will not get a job.

 
Tania McFee began her Natural Maths journey last year with some Ann Baker PD. She began working with the 4/5 class last year and now has the 6/7 students. Tania has not only engaged herself but has supported staff and other students. Each week the 2/3 class visit with their teacher to work on Natural Maths. I was fortunate today to be a part of this and have many pics, audio clips and more to share. There were many highlights including seeing interpersonal skills in action, a range of maths strategies in action with all the language that goes with it (equal, split, chunk, rainbow fact, friendly numbers, open number line). The room was full of engaged learners, the thinking was made visible on boards , books and with metalanguage. The reflection at the end was like icing on a cake !
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The students are using the star model to support their learning.

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The reflection was rigorous and again highlighted differentiation. 3 students were asked to share how they got the answer.The class were asked if they used a similar strategy but different pathway, if they would change their strategy and again dialogue was promoted for learning. I took 20 minutes of audio during the reflection and will create a word cloud  to add to this post, so you can see the use of and evidence of language and learning for the students and their teacher.


 
Here's what 
What I learned
by the end of reception the minimum expectations of children are :

·      to count on 
·      subitise 
·      count back
·      double

and
by the end of year one:
·      all of the above 
·      turn around
·      friendly numbers
       rainbow facts 
So What
My interpretation of this learning
We need to focus on learning this secret code inside out and back to front!!!!!

It is our responsibility to get the balls in motion!!!!!!  

All children should have automaticity of all number facts by the end of year 2.    

Now what?
My action plan to build on this new learning
Immediate action plan-

·      include a mental routine and reflection into all maths lessons

·      spend the rest of the term learning the secret code

·      make a maths wall