In October, we ran a short professional development course titled A-level Pure Mathematics: An Introduction for New Teachers.
Hosted on Zoom, the event consisted of three one-hour twilight sessions, which focused on Induction and Supporting Transition, Problem Solving, and Proof. The course was aimed at teachers who are new to offering the pure element of the A level Mathematics course, and those seeking to refresh their approach in this context.
We used Desmos Classroom to present activities to the delegates and enabled the delegates to see the power and opportunities of using Desmos Classroom in their own teaching to facilitate interactive lessons and to monitor and respond to student progress. The course proved very successful, and the format was appreciated. It’s always difficult to get the timing right for everyone!
Delegate feedback included:
- “There was some really relevant examples and advice to help my pupils”
- “Example questions with Desmos classroom were useful so we could attempt the questions as students but then also give feedback on how we would deliver it and share ideas”
- “Use of Dropbox to share resources as you could then focus on getting involved in sessions and joining in rather than worrying about missing something when taking notes”
If you’re interested in attending a repeat of this course, please do get in touch and we’ll offer another run of this event.
Next spring, we’ll be running An Introduction to Teaching Statistics in A-level Maths over a similar format, with three 90-minute twilight sessions, on 1 February, 15 February and 1 March 2022. Again, the sessions will be clearly structured into different sections: The use of Technology with a particular focus on Desmos, Large Datasets, and Statistical Modelling. While we hope teachers will be able to attend all three sessions, this format means that all are welcome even if anyone is only able to commit to one or two of the sessions.
We always welcome ideas and requests for Professional Development events. If you or your departmental colleagues have identified a particular need, please get in touch.