Simon Cossey Professional Blog

  Mathematics Assessment Tools  Some of my takeaway ideas -  - Know the purpose of the assessment and why it was created  - Learning progression framework is something I'm not familiar with - it seems there are different tasks available with that.  - GLOSS was designed for 'mental strategies' which is not 'number'. Mental strategies are only a part of number.  - Basic facts need to be learnt fluently - easily, easily accessed. It doesn't have to be super quick. Timed basic facts tests can contribute to math anxiety. Let the kids drive it - what do they need?  - Classroom observations - these have the most weight. It was nice to hear this emphasised. I think this means having really good observation skills as a teacher and knowing what you are looking for.  - Rich tasks can include multiple AOs. Look at the depth of thinking in those rich tasks. Use measurement as your context for number and algebra to give purpose.  - Week of inspirational ma...

  During lockdown, I tried playing "One of these things doesn't belong," with students over our Google Meet. (I even tried singing the Sesame Street Song ) I'd seen a version of this activity used as a discussion starter in a few classrooms (using photos on a screen). I wondered if it would work with real objects. I hoped it would lead onto practising the Talk Moves.  In our Google Meets, I modelled the game with objects from my house. Then the kids found objects. It was fun trying to choose objects that had something in common but also a point of difference. I wondered if this game would work in class. I tried it with Room 2, having the students opt into small groups. We played the game 'which one doesn't belong' with the objects pictured above. I intentionally used the te reo kupu, pēpa, pene rakau and pene for paper, pencil and pens.   I notice that this game really encourages kids to say what they think and give a reason. Most kids want a chance to chi...

  Dialectic Teaching with  Susan Sandretto In March, I was privileged to talk via Zoom to Susan Sandretto from the University of Otago about Dialectic teaching. This meeting was planned to support me in reaching my appraisal goals.  I have found out my notes from that meeting and have started to think more about how to implement dialectic teaching into my practise.  Main points from our Zoom Meeting:  - We make a distinction between talk rules (Talanoa) and talk moves and learning goals.  - Less is more. Build a foundation and layer up. Don't try to do it all at once.  - The default teaching method is often IRE (initiate, respond evaluate). This is only really effective for revision - not new thinking and learning.  - Pick a focus from the Talanoa rules or talk moves. Review at the end, "What did we get better at?" This promotes metacognition.  - Create a checklist in a modelling book. Include the learning goal and the talk moves that wi...