Friday, August 16, 2019

Questions Close Practise Books - #Mathscpdchat

To me, exercise books are a agency to an destination - they are only a identify for students to jot downward workings inward lodge to solve problems. It is the act of practising that's important, non the written tape of that practice. I'd happily convey my students produce all their piece of occupation on scraps of newspaper that they throw away at the destination of the lesson.

"Oh but what virtually their notes? They'll request those for revision". I specifically say my students to revise for exams past times doing practise questions (past examination papers, workbooks etc). I say them to sentinel a video or inquire me for help alongside anything they exceed stuck on. I never say them to 'read their exercise book' for revision. So what value is at that spot inward spending fourth dimension together with attempt out focusing on the organisation together with presentation of classwork, if that classwork volition never last referred to again?

I'm deliberately playing devil's advocate here, but I produce think this is worth discussing. How of import are exercise books inward the pedagogy of mathematics?

Please bring together #mathscpdchat at 7pm on Tuesday 15th March to part your opinions.

I'm certain many of you lot volition convey a catch on the importance of good presented exercise books. I aspect that people volition utter virtually students taking pride inward their piece of occupation together with the advantages of a disciplined approach to setting out workings.

I'm certain people volition also convey views on when together with where to laissez passer on feedback. I solely laissez passer on feedback on homeworks together with assessments - my homeworks are e'er on worksheets, pregnant I never write straight inward my students' exercise books. In fact I rarely aspect at them. Does it matter? Some #mathscpdchat participants may convey views on the score of independence nosotros should laissez passer on students - how much should nosotros monitor their classwork books? Do you lot monitor the classwork of 6th cast students?

The pictures below present a good presented exercise mass together with a poorly presented exercise book. These are from 2 real dissimilar types of pupil - I wonder what you lot tin infer virtually each student.


If nosotros attention virtually presentation, how tin nosotros educate our students to introduce their piece of occupation well? At the kickoff of each schoolhouse twelvemonth I ready out my mass presentation expectations alongside each class. What produce you lot do?

How produce you lot bargain alongside worksheets? I piece of occupation a lot of worksheets (mostly Don Steward) together with I'm terrible at remembering to say my students to stick their sheets in. Their books are bursting alongside loose sheets. Perhaps band binders would last better.

On Twitter I've seen a make of ideas for exercise books including collapsible release lines, treasury tags together with raffle tickets. Do you lot produce anything that's 'a flake different'? Please share!

There are many interesting give-and-take points here. Please bring together #mathscpdchat at 7pm on Tuesday 15th March to part your opinions. I'd dearest it if you lot could part pictures of your students' exercise books too!