There are a number of Teacher Networks which meet regularly in our region, offering free professional development and the chance to meet other teachers. Some of the meetings scheduled for the spring term took place before restrictions came into force, while others had to be cancelled or postponed.
A lively meeting took place in Peterborough before the February half term, in which ten teachers discussed a wide range of topics including revision ideas, calculator tips and tricks, grade boundaries and modelling resources. By the time the Milton Keynes Teacher Network took place in mid-March, everyone was feeling a bit more subdued and discussion of useful resources produced by different exam boards was interspersed with plans for potential school closures.
Early indications suggest that online network meetings for teachers will prove very popular in the current socially-distant climate. It is important to stay connected while we are having less face-to-face contact, and many teachers will be interested to hear how other schools and colleges are approaching the closures. As time goes on, we will know more about the government’s plans for the future, as well as the full range of support and resources available. All of this should generate plenty of interesting discussion, provided our internet service can cope. Please watch the AMSP events page for further details of network meetings as they emerge, and pay close attention to instructions regarding booking your place and any preparation that may be suggested, such as downloading software or testing connections.
In the meantime, remember that you can keep in touch with other teachers while developing your own professional knowledge by joining a Live Online Professional Development (LOPD) course or an On Demand Professional Development (ODPD) course. For more details, please see the overview of AMSP professional development. You can view updates on the AMSP’s offer of support for closures through the AMSP newspage. You can also follow the national AMSP Twitter account (@Advanced_Maths), the AMSP in the East of England (@EEAMSP) and also our region’s Maths Hubs (@CamMathsHub, @MatrixMathsHub, @EnigmaMathsHub and @AnglesMathsHub). Finally, don’t forget that your local Area Coordinator is at the end of an email and very happy to hear from you.