**Also your villains, the names you give them and what they look like, are up to you. When I first started they were simply still images that I acted out.
**No video needed for this one as I think it is pretty straight forward :)
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So the next step after developing the narrative is thinking about what maths development will look like within agency. Specifically what are the mathematical foundations you are aiming to develop, build on and consolidate throughout the year.
For me, this is all about number sense, no matter what level you teach. Our aim, in my opinion should be to give children the gift of fluidity and flexibility with number, to have a deep sense of number, not a rote learning of facts that they don't even understand. Fact learning comes long after a deep sense of number is developed.
For that reason my planning in mathematics will always centre on number sense and everything else will flow out of this even what we call 'strand maths.' It is important to remember that within a class that is based on play, a lot of very purposeful and authentic maths understandings will be explored.
This year, I have decided to take some of the core parts of the maths out of agency, just because I feel it is just so important that it needs to be done every day if possible. That is maths eyes. The skill of noticing and being able to talk about what is noticed folds deeply into strategy development. Using a range of pictures, patterns, shapes, everyday images, specific subitising images etc through a math talk approach has the biggest impact on children I have found. It allows them to really develop that sense of pattern and number that is so crucial for mathematics development. I have decided to give this a slot somewhere in our day, rather than in agency, allowing me to do it more frequently, with a range of different images, in different ways and allowing me to further streamline the flow of our 'in agency' time. You will see this reflected in my initial plan.
This is the time I try to break down what I actually want to focus into into smaller chunks that I can build on throughout the year, this however is where the blank page next to my plan is so important, because as we all know, our teaching is guided by where the children are at, so next to my plan, I will scribe what we are actually covering as well and what I am noticing in terms of common or individual need. I guess the key ideas in the mindmap are my 'musts' the specifics that I really want to be bringing through in Professors PD. The games and activities he leads will be based around this mindmap.
This is also where 70:30 comes in so strongly for me and in my opinion should be priority in every classroom. Each session will be 70%, or even 80% of content that we have already covered and 20-30% new understanding. Everything we do is built on in this way, the games professor plays remain largely the same, but are simply layered and extended on throughout the year with new understandings. Everything is connected, because everything should be connected.
Years ago I used to do a topic in maths for two-three weeks and then move onto a new topic. This could be in strand or number. This did nothing to show children how connected all of mathematics is and did nothing to deepen their understandings. In fact it did nothing to build their thinking skills, which in fact is what I want. Now learning is woven in and layered, we build on what we know, but never leave the understandings we have been developing previously. This allows us the opportunity to see and make connections. This also means a wide of needs are catered for because the games and activities we play can have a low floor entry point, but a high ceiling for those that need stretching.
Mathematical language is really important as well as understanding this vocab ensures consistency of understanding.
And so in terms of mathematics within this world, I will start with a few favourite games, songs and activities and then build on them from there to meet the needs of the agents and to assist them to see connections and develop fluidity and flexibility with number, sticking within the agree rhythm of the session each day so it is familiar and safe. The villains then will present us with problems that will allow us to use our knowledge and further develop the strategies we have been working on.
In terms of the villains, they are not all created equal within agency and Knight Adder, Subtraction Shark, Which is Mine and Gaza the Grouping Goblin and seen far more regularly than the others. The Colour Changing Dragon challenges us with strand based challenges from time to time and the Puzzler hits us with codes to break. The challenges these two set often take the whole session.
Using the villains In this way gives a purpose for the mathematics and for the agents it all clicks slowly into place in a happy, playful, fun learning environment where they always come out on top!
Here is my planning for this term :)
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