Our Code Our Standards-Lee-Anne Waho at Ara Tū Whakata Gilberthorpe School
This blog aims to record and reflect on ways I demonstrate knowledge and application of Our Code, Our Standards as outlined by the New Zealand Education Council. This blog was created in 2018 and the intention is for it to continue to be used in years to follow.
Manaiakalani Mathematics Practice Intensive - Day#4
I almost didn't make it to today's session, so I am really pleased that I did. One look at the agenda and I was sold. I was particularly interested in fractions and place value.
Matauranga Site - Have a look at this site to get ideas for create and share opportunities. Google Vid - I need to use this more in class. Ensure that ākonga are using their own voice to share what they have learned.
We need to ensure that online apps are not just 'playing'.
Choral Counting
Talk is so important in learning. We can use Ground Rules for Talk and Talk Moves. Talk Moves is probably something I need to include more.
Choral counting is about recognising patterns and explain reasoning.
Choral Counting Key Concepts
Make sure you have space to record noticing and wonderings. I like "Let's prove it". The video shared was of Elena is a Class On Air clip, which would be good to look at again.
Prompts for Choral Counting
What do you notice? What do you wonder?
What do you think will come next? How do you know?
Can you predict a number further along in the count? Can you prove it to us?
Can you describe a rule for this count or pattern?
What do you notice about the digits in each place value as we count?
How is this count similar to or different from the last one we did?
What would happen if we started at a different number?
What if we counted backwards? What would the pattern look like?
Is there a number we will never say in this count? Why or why not?
How could you tell if a number belongs in this count or not?
If a number is covered, can you figure out what it is? How?
Do you see any diagonal, vertical, or horizontal patterns?
Are there any repeating groups?
Choral Counting Tasks
Place Value
We need multiple opportunities to use words to help it become part of our vocabulary.
Having a visual of the definition would be great for learners to gain a better understanding of key vocabulary.
Math Dictionary is a helpful tool as there is a lot of mathematical vocabulary.
There is quite a demand on our ākonga, so we need to gap fill and also teach to their level.
The place value materials are important to have and use with our ākonga.
Zero
Zero is a very unique number because it serves both as a number and as a placeholder in our place value system.
Zero as a Placeholder indicates that a particular place (such as tens or hundreds) has no value. For example, in the number 306, the zero shows that there are no tens. Introducing this concept early when teaching place value helps students understand the structure of our number system and is essential for reading and writing numbers correctly. Use manipulatives and clear language to teach this!
Zero as a Number represents a quantity of ‘nothing’ and is fundamental in mathematics, used in various operations and calculations. While introducing zero as a number can be abstract, especially for very young children, research suggests that children can start to understand zero by around age 4 or 5. This understanding deepens with more mathematical experience. It’s important to introduce zero in contexts that make sense to children and to use concrete examples and manipulatives.
Important to use concrete manipulatives and language to explain and represent Zero as a number and as a placeholder!
- Counting Blocks or Cubes and Dot Cards (subitising in the new curriculum), include a card representing ‘zero’
- Number Line, Ten Frames, PV blocks and PV houses and charts
Make sure we show zero as a number and a place holder.
Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract
This slide, which I made a copy of, will be so helpful for my teaching and for my team.
I love the Canva board, particularly because it is the digital tool that my class are going to become experts in using.
My next step is to make a copy of the place value task board and have this available for my kids. (I wish I done this in Term One when my focus was on Place Value. I think I would do a much better job now).
Rational Numbers
A sub strand within number. When getting students to use the math dictionary, make sure they are writing things in their own words, so actual understanding can be shown.
Effective Teaching of Fractions
Link fractions in real life contexts.
Critical thinking around the idea of 'bigger half'. Relate to sports, telling the time, baking etc.
By the end of Phase 2:
Fractions represent parts of a whole (division of numbers) Convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions Simplified fractions have no common factors Decimals and percentages are special types of fractions (denominators of 10 and 100).
Instead of using 'out of', use 'of'.
Be explicit when naming the parts of a fraction. Start with the denominator.
Teaching and learning about fractions can be difficult. There are misconceptions and difficulties in understanding. I noticed this when we did iKan.
Again, some fantastic content that I want to come back to.
Fractions as Operators
I like the term Mathematising. With any problem, mathematise it. What is the equation and what is it asking me to work out. Use addition, multiplication and division.
When getting ākonga to work independently, make sure they have good foundational understanding of the concepts and that misconceptions have been clarified.
Decimals and Percentages
Relates to number structure, relations. Read the whole number part first and then the fraction. Once the students have good understanding of the decimal place value.
Decimals, fractions and percentages are closely related.
Learners need to know key fraction-decimal-percentage equivalents to use as benchmarks.
Where did out decipipes get to? Make and compare decimal numbers.
Integers
An integer is a number with no decimal parts. Includes numbers including zero and negative numbers.
A big takeaway for me today is to use models and more visual representations as well as using materials.
I feel like I need to dedicate some time to go through slides and catch up on my mahi. I would also like to explore some of the sites that I have been introduced to.
I am so grateful to have a student teacher with me and I will work with her this week on our planning for the next fortnight. It will be good to be able to talk through the content that we have covered.
My Math Learning Journey Planning a Math Programme
27 Māehe 2025
We started the day in break out rooms to share about our mahi kāika and how we have been going. An idea that I hadn't thought of, was the kids creating the learning outcomes. Mary had some great ideas. Another of hers is to allow students to work on their workbooks in Math No Problem. She also uses Canva to model and explain concepts. I might need to look in to this.
We are able to get a free upgrade on Canva - check how I can upgrade. Also look at Demoz for an online whiteboard. A favourite of Tiff's is Polypad. Mathagon is the website and Polypad is within that. There is something similar to Prototec on Mathagon.It's always going to be free.
Dorothy Burt - Planning a Maths Programme.
The learn part of Learn Create Share is strong when in the planning part of math and being deliberate about effective practice.
Directives from the Ministry, research, local curriculum feed into effective practice. Make learning and teaching visible. Hāpara is visibility of student learning for the teacher. Google Sites are about the learners having visibility of the learning programme. Too much time is wasted, so within our design, ensure learning is accessible for learners.
Engagement - Personalised Learning -
Four step method to access learning:
There should be no need for QR codes and passwords on paper for students to get to their learning. We have access to facilitators who can help with organising our site etc.
Three click rules. How long does it take for your learners to get to their learning? Think about the navigation and capture the tricky parts of learning content.
Use this when designing and updating the Google Site.
Go and have a look at Ngā Whetu o Manaiakalani for ideas and inspiration.
Make sure learners are taking screenshots of their online mahi. They could have a slide similar to the one I use for Prototec.
Every student must have access to content at their year level. Remember to incoude and use enablers and extenders. This will be helpful for some kāiako in my hub for their learners who are needing extension.
Although this is for junior levels, it is still relevant and a helpful guide for all teachers.
When planning a comprehnsive math programme, we need to integrate across strands. Number is ongoing and is integrated. Develop plans and lessons using teaching sequences. Consider how we can revisit and consolidate learning. When doing our long term plan, find ways to integrate math across different curriculum areas. What connections can we see and always ask, what math can we bring in?
This can help to map and ensure coverage.
Oh my gosh, this for Canva. It's what I wanted to use in class recently.
On reflection after using this tool, I wonder how my whole class would go with this. Maybe teaching in small groups first.
It has been acknowledged that these expectations are quite difficult to meet. Share planning with teacher aides to help utilise Teach the kids who need us the most and use teacher aides to consolidate etc.
Grouping Your Learners
The expectation is to teach to the year level. Flexible grouping is the key word for groupings.
I have often struggled with mixed ability grouping, but bhave been delving into this since using Math No problem. Who would have thought that being told to teach to the year level would prompt me into this? At first I was thinking, oh my goodness, but now it is working pretty well and has given ākonga some voice and awareness in their learning.
Next Steps: I need to get my planning onto my learning site through a task board. I've been struggling with how I will do this because of not yet having specific groups. I'll start with one for the majority and then an enablers slide.
Math Talks: Estimation
Ground rules are behaviours and expectations. Talk Moves are specific strategies to deepen student thinking and engagement.
A symbol for estimation - I didn't know this was a thing.
Next step: Introduce an estimation task for next week.
Viewing these images, ākonga can have discussions and explain their thinking about their estimations. This would be a great for practicing Ground Rules for Talk. I think my students would love these, especially if I use images of things they are excited about such as dinosaurs, Minecraft etc.
This activity was fun and I think it's a great way to introduce estimation. I'll add this to my Math learning for next week. Estimate before calculating. The supermarket is a perfect real life context.
Some learners have confusing around rounding and estimation. Rounding is a skill within estimation.
We need to ensure that ākonga understand when estimation is appropriate vs when calculation is needed.
Rich Math Tasks
I've been looking forward to this as I had a conversation about rich tasks and ended up getting confused.
Rich tasks are math problems that can be solved in different ways. They have a creative aspect to them.
Thinking can be extended through collaboration and sharing. A variety of problem types is beneficial and ensure that problems are balanced. Students will need scaffolding and support, so be mindful of cognitive load.
Gather prior knowledge about the content and ask questions to clarify and consolidate prior knowledge. Read the question and turn and talk about the task. How can we rephrase the question? Bring in estimation.
It takes time to understand and use these practices.
Pre-planning could be done at hub/syndicate level.
Use the learning intentions and success criteria at the end of the session to reflect on the task and level of understanding.
From your anticipating and monitoringof their discussions, choose an idea that is useful to explain further (addressing misconceptions), based on the most important strategies or number knowledge learners need to know If you’re not sure which ideas are the most important, choose from the teaching sequences!
We created a bank of rich tasks. Insert
Monitoring, Selecting, Sequencing, Connecting
Have equipment ready and available prior to starting the lesson. (Have a look at the Think Through Template).
Recap the Ground Rules For Talk to make sure I am not just dealing with behaviour etc.
We are aware of who our not so confident kids are, so giving roles can allow them to engage and contribute their ideas. We are wanting to create opportunities to succeed. Also, having the mindset that we are smarter together. Rich tasks are easier to implement when we have done the ground work before the lesson.
Something new to me...
This is a digital modelling book. At the moment, I don't feel confident in my planning to explore this yet.
Selecting
Teacher selects particular learners to share their thinking with the rest of the class.
The selection is guided by the maths goal of the lesson
Sequencing
Make purposeful choices about the order in which students’ thinking is shared back
Sequencing anticipated responses is key to the lesson
There is not one right way to sequence - it depends on the goals for the lesson
Connecting
Teacher helps students draw connections between their solutions as well as the key mathematical ideas in the lesson
Student presentations build on each other
When looking for rich tasks, we are wanting tasks that generate conversation and discussion.
Allow time for learners to do the rich tasks.
Independent Learning
We need to keep track of student progress. The teacher workbook has progressions, although they don't align to the curriculum yet.
Make sure we aren't just doing 'busy work'.
If we give students an online task and don't actually follow-up and give kids time to share, we are wasting their time and they are not effective.
Using a mahi tracker sheet helps to gather evidence of student learning. I used one for Literacy last year which was great, but I didn't sustain it. The positive thing about that was that students asked where it was.
I need to remember to teach to the curriculum and not just following the books of Math No Problem. I do think I viewed the books in that way for a while there.
I feel a lot clearer about what rich tasks are, which is great because it was something that I wanted to delve into.
I feel like I have been a bit slack with my mahi kāika, among other things, so my goal is to create the time and space to get the mahi done before our next session.
