Rob's Sayings
Some of my sayings and some quotes I think sum up my philosophy to maths and maths teaching. You know, when you break it all down, maths is only here to help us make sense of the world.
To the kids: You’re the boss of numbers kids – they’re not the boss of you.
You have to be mobile for maths – if you’re the teacher and you’re sitting down during a maths lesson – I presume you must be injured!
Do explicit teaching at the point of need – be amongst your students.
Take every opportunity that comes your way to do maths with the kids – and not just during official maths time – I call it maths on a plate – take it – whether it’s when they’re lining up or when you are marking the roll or any of a hundred daily opportunities – never let a chance go by.
There are only 3 rules in maths and they apply to you and the students:
Rule 1: Record
Rule 2: Record
Rule 3: Record
If you are talking maths – get to a whiteboard and turn the spoken language into symbols. If the kids are talking maths – turn their language into symbols for them or have them come to the whiteboard to do it.
Kids are smart – trust them – don’t talk so much, get out of their way and allow them to show you what they already bring to the table.
Like Literacy, Maths is a genuine process area.
Why would you tell a student something that they could work out for themselves – if you set up the opportunity.
Day after day following of a maths program “dumbs you down and dumbs the students down”.
Wherever you can, integrate maths into other areas of the curriculum – make the connections.
Maths is all about the Context.
We have an obligation to engage our kids in maths.
“Assessment is something you do FOR kids not just TO kids”
Maths isn’t like going to the gym – it doesn’t have to hurt to be doing you good!
The art of good teaching is knowing when to get off the stage.
To the kids: You’re the boss of numbers kids – they’re not the boss of you.
You have to be mobile for maths – if you’re the teacher and you’re sitting down during a maths lesson – I presume you must be injured!
Do explicit teaching at the point of need – be amongst your students.
Take every opportunity that comes your way to do maths with the kids – and not just during official maths time – I call it maths on a plate – take it – whether it’s when they’re lining up or when you are marking the roll or any of a hundred daily opportunities – never let a chance go by.
There are only 3 rules in maths and they apply to you and the students:
Rule 1: Record
Rule 2: Record
Rule 3: Record
If you are talking maths – get to a whiteboard and turn the spoken language into symbols. If the kids are talking maths – turn their language into symbols for them or have them come to the whiteboard to do it.
Kids are smart – trust them – don’t talk so much, get out of their way and allow them to show you what they already bring to the table.
Like Literacy, Maths is a genuine process area.
Why would you tell a student something that they could work out for themselves – if you set up the opportunity.
Day after day following of a maths program “dumbs you down and dumbs the students down”.
Wherever you can, integrate maths into other areas of the curriculum – make the connections.
Maths is all about the Context.
We have an obligation to engage our kids in maths.
“Assessment is something you do FOR kids not just TO kids”
Maths isn’t like going to the gym – it doesn’t have to hurt to be doing you good!
The art of good teaching is knowing when to get off the stage.