Teacher Networks throughout the East Midlands usually have a specific focus. They are relatively informal gatherings, and there will usually be scope for attendees to raise their own items for discussion. If you have suggestions that you would like to discuss at future network meetings, please contact your local Area Coordinator.
Teacher Networks have been taking place across the East Midlands in Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire; Leicestershire; Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire; and Northamptonshire. Details of the first round of network meetings are shown below:
Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire:
Teachers of maths met to collaborate, to support each other, and to share best practice. There was some discussion about coping with the ‘new normal’ and lots of useful things were shared. The curriculum focus of the meeting considered strategies to help GCSE students to develop their confidence and skills in the often challenging topic of mathematical proof. Teachers left the meeting with a bank of resources and with lots of ideas to put into practice. Videos on enhancing GCSE learning, including proof, can be found on the AMSP website.
Leicestershire:
Tom Button, the AMSP Technology Lead, delivered a talk about the use of Desmos and demonstrated the extensive set of pre-made classroom activities that you can use with students. These activities can be an invaluable learning tool, both face-to-face and when delivering lessons via remote learning. Tom also explained how you can edit or create your own activities. The AMSP runs an on-demand Desmos course that you may find useful.
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire:
The Nottingham and Derby network groups have merged, and the online sessions have involved sharing resources and ideas for teaching. The last meeting in September looked at ways to introduce Level 3 (post-16) maths to Year 11 and their parents. We designed our ‘Why Study Maths?’ resources to help with this. There was a good discussion about blended learning and resources that would be suitable for pupils who may need to isolate. The teachers present gave good ideas for future meetings, including filling the gaps for A level students and short meaningful assessments.
Northamptonshire:
Ben Waine from the Enigma Maths Hub gave a presentation about how the Hubs can support teachers. This was followed by a general discussion about how COVID-19 is affecting day-to-day life in schools. Teachers, especially NQTs, expressed how difficult it is being ‘nomadic’ and having limited contact with other members of their department. Teachers also commented on the limitations of teaching maths online. Further help with these issues is being looked at, including the possibility of an NQT support network.
More details about Maths Hubs can be found on the NCETM website.
We hope that you can join us at our meetings in the future. You can view more information on the AMSP website.