Wānanga 2019: My Presentation

Here is my presentation from the Wānanga on the 24th of October in Auckland.
Below are my speaking notes.

A huge thanks to everyone that has helped me get to this stage - Tyla and Rachael big thanks to you guys.


Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa
Ko Marc Gibson tōku ingoa
Ko o he kaiako o Te Kura o Te Piki Kahū
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa

The initial problem was that maths progress was slow within our learning space. This was noticed in 2018 where learners weren’t engaging in maths and it became a bit of a chore for them. This showed in the results and from the conversations from the learners. Us as a team decided that something needed to change.

The problem started out with the kaiako and with the whānau. Whānau were concerned that their learners didn’t enjoy maths much like them. Kaiako were also concerned that their progress was lacking. Learners were unable to explain their thinking making progress slower. - How did you solve it? I just knew

But mainly the problem was for the learners. 75 learners who wanted to do their best. 75 learners with a passion for inquiry. 75 learners with a passion for reading. 75 learners with a passion for writing. 75 enthusiastic learners - but not in maths

I started by looking into what was already around. I looked into DMIC and rich tasks. I talked to my professional learning groups. I talked to the learners. I talked to anyone who would listen.

I looked into what we were already doing as a school. NUMPA worked in the junior school. They could do it. Knowledge worked well. But the strategy didn’t work.

The most important part to start was around the knowledge of the learners. What did we already know about them? What made them tick? We knew in other curriculum areas that Authentic learning with a goal based strategy worked the best.

Learners enjoyed creating DLOs in other areas but within maths it didn’t happen.

What was working in other areas?
Flexible learning groups: Learners were able to select the right tool to share back their thinking
Workshops: letting them select what their personal goals are and why they want to achieve these
Time to practice: opportunities to fail and try again.

During Term 1: I was able to spend some time in the sandpit - Using Rich tasks and DMIC to build on our maths process. What I saw was more engagement and the willingness to give things a go.

Change needed the sandpit time wasn’t just right. I needed to look at what worked from the sand pit - Problem solving was coming through strong

What could I see missing: slides - Making the work visible for the learners when in the space - using explain everything being able to understand their thinking - using a site 

The tool has four parts. Goal setting, hotspot, workshopping and problem solving.

Setting goals was high on the learners wants - they wanted to know what they needed to do. They also wanted to know the why. Learners researched goals that they could achieve and looked at what was already out there that had been created. To do this we used the Maths learning progressions and the knowledge section from NUMPA

The hotspot needed to be authentic and fun. It needed to be visible for learners before the session. On the maths site learners used google slides to start their thinking on the hotspot topics. These were written by the kaiako.

Workshops were created from where confusion was. Learners could see the following weeks workshops on the site the week before. The workshops were also online so it became a resource bank that learners could use when stuck. Over the year learners created resources to a) teach others the skill and b) used as a digital assessment record for their learning.

With the problem solving approach learners were in Flexible learning groups. These were then uploaded onto the site the week before. Learners would then work in small groups to solve these with the help of Captain Kahu. Learners went through a specific process, which was written for them.

They would get into their chosen small groups for solving. They would have to solve the problem on explain everything where they would be able to teach someone else how they solved this. Once they had solved and created a DLO this would then be shared back to the larger group in Share. Using the maths talk moves their solution would be given feedback and feed forward. Statements like I don’t understand and I agree but became alive during these sessions. After the share learners could adjust if they wanted but as they would tell you fail means first attempt in learning.

Through the whole process learners were apart of it. I took feedback and made changes where needed.
Some of the things that they enjoyed were that they could work with their friends, they worked on their goals, they could use their skills on explain everything, it was collaborative, but mainly it was fun and exciting

Even though the learners found it hard the fact that they could discuss and stretch their brains was a big positive. Learners enjoy being able to go back and see what they have done from the beginning of the year and see their success.

Overall learners have made more than pleasing progress in maths.

Learners have enjoyed using the site. They enjoy seeing what is happening and also what has already happened. They can use it to forward their thinking at any time. I would like to thank the MIT team, my super supportive school and my learning space team of Rachael Hefferman and Tyla Skinner for their ongoing support. If you would like further information please check out my blog or the tool at the link above.

Noho ora mai