Joined Up Mathematics 2008

Joined up Mathematcs - ATM and MA Conference 2008

The ‘Joined up Mathematics’ Conference was for all teachers of mathematics who work in any sector of mathematical education, from Key Stage 1 to Tertiary. The conference was hosted by Keele University and brought together the Mathematical Association (MA), the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM), the Association of Mathematics Education Teachers (AMET) and the National Association for Numeracy and Mathematics in Colleges (NANAMIC).

Main Speakers

Fragments and Coherence • Anne Watson

Opening Speaker

On many levels, the world of mathematics teaching and learning becomes more and more fragmented: multiple organisations, various career paths, different curricula, frequent tests, new qualifications. As a community, we can cope with this mathematically — seeing what is the same and what is different; identifying essential structures and relationships; encompassing variation with big ideas. As mathematicians, we seek to join-up what appears to be fragmentary and analyse differences in what seems to be the same. I shall offer some ways of seeing mathematics, and education, as fundamentally coherent in changing times.

Anne was a teacher for 13 years before becoming a teacher educator and researcher. She is the Reader in Mathematics Education at Oxford University. Anne is well-known for her insistence that all students think mathematically and that teaching needs to harness these ways of thinking to give everyone inclusive access to the curriculum. Her research in this area has recently been published as ‘Raising Achievement in Secondary Mathematics’.

Reflections on Drawing to a Close • John Mason

Closing Speaker

I see mathematics teaching as primarily about directing learners’ attention so that they naturally educate their awareness and train their behaviour through harnessing their emotional energies. These actions are initiated by undertaking tasks and engaging in the consequent activity, by responding to questioning, and by learners themselves posing questions. Now, as the conference draws to a close, and as I find my career spanning 49 years of teaching drawing to a close as well, I offer some reflections on ways in which teachers can foster and sustain ‘joined-up’ and ‘joining-up’ mathematical thinking. This is perhaps the most important constituent action of learning, referred to variously as looking back, learning from experience, reflection, reflective abstraction, reification and encapsulation, or simply, ‘really learning’.

Professor John Mason and Dr Anne Watson (husband and wife) have worked together for a number of years on ways to improve the teaching of mathematics at all levels, in and out of school. Together, they have written books and articles in the professional journals for mathematics teachers in several countries, including several for ATM, and they lead talks and workshops all over the world. They focus closely on the nature of mathematical activity and, in particular, have developed the ideas of learner-generated examples and example spaces to show how all students can be helped to think mathematically in ordinary lessons.

John has worked at the Open University for nearly 40 years, and was co-founder of the Centre for Mathematics Education there. He is also a senior research fellow at the University of Oxford. He is the principal author of the classic ‘Thinking Mathematically’ which has been in print for over 25 years and is available in 8 languages, and of numerous books and articles for teachers and for researchers. A particular feature of his work is the influence of his own ongoing mathematical thinking on the ways he works with others. He is especially interested in the way in which the structure of attention influences teaching and learning.

Workshop

Margaret Jones, Claire Beckett and Keith Windsor were in the workshop and on hand to help delegates. The workshop is at the heart of the Conference and is a special place for doing mathematics.

Open from early until late, the workshop offered a place to really do mathematics. Come and make, discuss, solve or simply think about Mathematics. Everything you ever imagined to make mathematics work for you was there, ready to be explored.

In the Friday workshop, a team from NANAMIC led a whole day, drop-in, interactive workshop, sharing successful approaches from ‘Improving Learning in Mathematics’, Thinking Through Mathematics’ and other active learning ideas. Delegates had opportunities to develop and make resources to take away on the day.

Sir Peter Williams

Wednesday Evening

The Review of Mathematics in both Primary and Early Years settings is an independent inquiry, commissioned by Government, to look at all aspects of mathematics up to KS2, to seek the views of those users in the classroom and to recommend areas of special focus for the future.

Of particular interest will be pedagogy and curriculum; ITT, CPD and subject knowledge for teachers; intervention programmes; and engagement with parents and families.

The review is chaired by Sir Peter Williams, and this is an opportunity to hear about its progress and to make your voice heard.

The Magic of Maths

Andrew Jeffrey is a Professional Magician from Brighton, who has also been a maths teacher for twenty years. He now takes his shows, The Magic of Maths, to schools around the country.

His friend and partner in crime, author, speaker and MA president Rob Eastaway, probably needs no introduction to delegates. Rob and Andrew first met and discovered they shared a love of magic, particularly tricks with a mathematical persuasion, and together in their very own ‘bunco booth’ style presentation they will amuse and amaze you with their witty and fast-paced magical presentation. So gather round and have fun as you relax and enjoy your coffee.

Association AGMs

Thursday • 14:00-15:30

You are warmly invited to attend either the ATM or the MA AGM after lunch.

Conference Dinner

Thursday Evening

The ever popular and highly entertaining Mike Askew gave the after-dinner talk.

Mike Askew is Professor of Mathematics Education at King’s College London, and Director of BEAM Education. He has been involved in teaching and researching primary mathematics for over 20 years. He has directed many research projects, including Effective Teachers of Numeracy. His hobbies include conjuring, so his after dinner talk will combine maths and magic.

Quiz

Thursday Evening

Phil Dodd once again organised a non-mathematical quiz.

MA Presidential Plenary

Friday

Rob Eastaway graduated in Engineering and Management Sciences at Cambridge University. While a student, he was an occasional puzzle setter for New Scientist and The Sunday Times. He spent several years writing mathematical models for Logica and then Deloittes before setting up on his own to pursue his various interests, including writing.

His first book, What Is A Googly?, achieved notoriety when John Major presented a copy to George Bush Senior at Camp David. Since then, he has had seven more books published, including three on popular mathematics - Why do Buses Come In Threes?, How Long is a Piece of String? and Beating The Odds. He regularly appears on radio to talk about aspects of maths in everyday life. In 2005 he set up Maths Inspiration, a programme of theatre-based lectures aimed at inspiring 16-18 year olds to pursue mathematical subjects to a higher level. Rob is the current President of The Mathematical Association. He is married with two young children and lives in South London.

Session Notes

Notes and support materials provided by Conference Session Leaders:

H1: Addressing Common Errors in Mathematics Through Joined-up Measures

Common errors that students bring with them from Primary all the way up to Tertiary Mathematics were discussed. In the course of the session, the roots of the mistakes were considered and suggestions on how joined-up measures can help in correcting the common errors were brought about.

<< Session H1 Notes from Veronica Quilinguin

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