Further Mathematics Support Programme

1. Further Mathematics Support Programme Poole Grammar Mathematics Department

2. A piece of cake!Hot tips for setting up and running a collaborative teaching projectJo Sibley Let Maths take you Further…

3. Me, me, me... • Jo Sibley, part-time teacher, mum, geocacher. • Career history: • Maths teacher for 16 years, 13 of them full time, 5 of them as a SENCO, the last 4½ as a part-timer, the last 3½ also working for the Further Maths Network, now the Further Maths Support Programme, the last 2½ coordinating the 4x project and last year coordinating the ‘Making the Connection’ Maths Teachers conference! • Now: • Further Mathematics Support Programme Area Coordinator (50% contract) • Part-time Maths teacher (36% contract) • 4x project and Making the Connection Coordinator (part of both the roles above)

4. Where do we start? Usually in one of two places: ‘I heard at this conference that the NCETM are giving away money for teacher training – how do we get some of that?’ ‘We’ve got a project we’d really like to do – how do we get the time and the money to do it?’ In both cases, the answer is “Apply and ye shall (probably) receive”. • 3½ types of NCETM funded project: • Teacher enquiry funded projects (TEFP) • Mathematics Knowledge Networks (MKN) and Further MKN • Regional Projects (RPP)

5. Early decisions • Who leads? • How many involved? • What type of project? • What are you trying to do? • To consider: • For larger projects (MKN or RP) it’s worth having at least two ‘at the top’. • Delegate: use CV as a carrot and/or PM as a stick! • Don’t be afraid to ‘go large’ but have a stable core who you know will stay on task. • Think about how long you will sustain this • Once you have answers to these, you’re ready to apply.

6. Applications • Not difficult or onerous! I PROMISE!: • Talk to your regional coordinator • Register your core team • Know what your commitments are • Have these details ready: • Names and NCETM usernames for your core team • A draft budget (more in a moment) • A calendar of milestones for the project

7. Applications • Costs to consider for your budget: • Cover for your team and possibly for teachers from other institutions • Travel expenses • Food and drink for any meetings you will organise • Resources for participating teachers • Speaker fees • Venue hire costs • Advertising, postage and reprographics • Admin support

8. Applications Milestones/calendar: This is the timeline for the Dorset FMKN: by 29th Jan 2010 make email contact with majority of FM teachers or potential teachers in Dorset by 12th Feb 2010 have at least 12 registered users on portal community by 1st Apr 2010 hold a meeting to which all FM teachers are invited by June 2010 arrange workshop session for FM teachers at teaching conference The 4x project timeline is a bit more extensive!

9. Hot tips for reducing admin time • Get help! Pay for some admin support from the fund. • Try to go electronic where possible. • Email merging • Use the portal • Include hyperlinks • Encourage electronic resources • Don’t reinvent the wheel! Share current practice.

10. Hot tips for advertising and recruiting • Get a corporate image: • Logo • Brand format • Spread it around shamelessly • Network, network, network: • Exploit your professional contacts to the max. • Get your Head Teacher involved • Subject leaders meetings • Be unrelentingly nice! Poole Grammar Mathematics Department

11. Hot tips for advertising and recruiting • Remember that the more you recruit the less preparation you have to do! • Get a good contacts database. There are two ways to do this: • Admin assistant • LA advisor • Remind them it’s free!

12. Meeting titles for 4x (All resources available on the portal – email me to be linked to the community) • Phase 1 • The 4x project- Answering questions and questioning answers • Problem solving – what can we teach? • Long multiplication and division, calculations with fractions and working with directed numbers. • Phase 2 • Number - Fractions, decimals, percentages and indices • Algebra - Quadratics, simultaneous equations and transformations of functions • Shape, space and measure - Circles, similarity, polygons, sine and cosine Rule • Phase 3 • Proof – Techniques for Teaching and Assessing Learning • Assessing Pupils in the Classroom • Seven Diamonds for Classroom Stretch and Rigour • Real life maths - delivering good practical examples in the classroom

13. Suggested meeting plan 15 mins – Meet and greet, tea and biscuits available. 30 mins – Introductory presentation(s), look at portal 35 mins – Food and discussion in groups 15 mins – Draw group together and get feedback from discussions 10 mins – Discuss next meeting, portal resources, sharing techniques

14. Life cycle for a 4x project meeting • Advertising for 4x project sent by post start of September. • Advertising and preparation topic sent out by email 14th Sep. • ‘Proof’ online lesson recorded 30th Sep. • Reminder email 1 week before. • List of attendees with email addresses and NCETM usernames formulated. • Meeting Tuesday 6th October – attendees listed and extra email addresses collected, topic and venue for next session decided. • Collected resources uploaded to portal Wed 7th October • Email sent to all attendees including links to presentation, online lesson and other resources and date and content of next meeting sent by email Thu 8th October.

15. Jo SibleyFurther Maths Support Programmewww.furthermaths.org.ukjosibley@furthermaths.org.uk Let Maths take you Further…