TLDR: If you’ve ever wondered what a @NCETM #ResitMaths workgroup is like here are a few snippets of mine. We eat good food, talk about issues, discuss methods and share ideas. If you can get to Sheffield the next meeting is Fri 25th Jan or check your local HUB.
Continue reading “Resit Maths Workgroups and why you should get involved”
Knitting and what it means to me
For as long as I can remember I’ve made things. My Gran and Nanna taught me to knit, crochet, sew and make lace. It’s always just been something I’ve done but I’ve noticed recently how much it actually means to me. Whenever I make things I think about them both and I’m grateful for everything they taught me.
Being a feminist and a teacher – Leadership
My Gran was a head teacher, my Nanna taught pretty much every craft you can imagine and my Mum is an educational psychologist. I grew up with fantastic strong female role models working in education so I guess it’s not a surprise I grew up to be a teacher and a feminist.
Continue reading “Being a feminist and a teacher – Leadership”
Playing the funding game
A while ago there was a big announcement about £600 funding for additional maths students at level 3. Straight away there were questions about the use of the word additional. Today there was a much quieter announcement about what additional actually means in this context.
Unicorns and bicycles
My highlight of BETT this year was this robot unicorn and today I’ve been to pick up my new bike. They don’t seem massively connected but both showed why women are needed on design teams.
This robot unicorn is the best thing I’ve see at #bett2018 loved playing with it and chatting to @helenleigh pic.twitter.com/3G9LRSjDWJ
— Ms Steel (@MsSteel_Maths) January 26, 2018
GCSE resit pilots – thoughts from my kitchen table
The following post is the result of a long discussion with Anna Bellamy @Anna_Maths over my kitchen table while eating dinner and drinking gin, My writing in in purple and her comments are in tardis blue if that’s not too confusing.
TLDR: We both care a lot about GCSE maths resits and currently we are feeling a bit annoyed (Germanic translation by Anna a bit annoyed = angry!) by people wanting to come in and tell us how to do our jobs. Continue reading “GCSE resit pilots – thoughts from my kitchen table”
3 months in to teaching the 2 year GCSE course
We’ve just done the first assessment of how the 2 year GCSE students are getting on. I have so much I want to blog about, it turns out designing a course from scratch is wonderfully liberating, absolutely terrifying and really hard work!
Continue reading “3 months in to teaching the 2 year GCSE course”
TL:DR We’re trialling a 2 year GCSE resit with no exam at the end of the first year. You can see the summary scheme of work here or the full one here Continue reading “Another way to do GCSE resit”
Gambling with futures
Yesterday’s letter has me wondering whether I’m doing the best thing for my students. The full letter is here but the paragraph I’m interested in is this one
“Under the new system, a grade 4 and above will be equivalent to a C and above. This is – and will remain – the level that pupils must achieve in order not to be required to continue studying English and maths post 16. Therefore, a GCSE pass at new grade 4 will continue to have real currency for individual pupils as they progress to further study and employment. Where employers, FE providers and universities currently accept a grade C we would expect them to continue recognising a grade 4.” Continue reading “Gambling with students futures”
Ms Steel Maths 