Developing teacher knowledge and cheats to improve instruction

For our linear algebra standard, I had to

-have a clear understanding of content requirements for the standard

-understand achievement criteria by accessing standard clarifications

via the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) site

-make Algebra exemplars accessible to learners via my teaching site

-join online communities/teacher organisations to gain further

professional development

Whilst planning I had to consider culturally responsive practices to

support the achievement of all students by providing effective teaching

and learning in a culturally supported, learner-centred context.

This was done by chunking achievement criteria (Achieved, Merit, Excellence)

so that learners knew what evidence was needed to support their learning/success.

All teaching/learning was done in context to support “language in abundance”

and learner responses/explanations had to include the context. The detailed

learning programme for the standard was available via the

teacher’s Google calendar/Google site from day 1, so that learners could

access their learning at any time and work at a pace that was pertinent to them.

A tracking sheet was used to help with the Key Competency, “managing self”

as learners were accountable for their own learning journey/success.

For learners to comprehend the systems/strategies that I had created,

I had to be very explicit about the purpose and desired outcome for each

of them and this was reinforced almost daily until learners trusted my intentions.

A few of our contexts included comparing costs of:

Pizza prices - Learners were familiar with the context as we have a few pizza parlours in our community. Cost per pizza had to be explained.

Taxi fares - all were familiar with paying per km, but flagfall was a new word for most learners

Airline baggage costs - all seemed familiar with this context

Landscape costs - a consultation fee was foreign to all

Effective teaching and learning  was done through a teacher-created

cheat sheet where learners were guided how to form and solve equations

and the introduction of a few literacy strategies like

-“chunking” (break up the context into bite-sized pieces)

-“word definition” (per, flagfall, consultation fee, flat rate)

-“3 level guide” (read on the line as evidence of substitution - Achieved,

read between the lines as evidence of explaining/interpreting for Merit and

read beyond the line as evidence of creating and solving new equations

as evidence for Excellence.

Teaching/learning strategies included

-Looking for secret words like: each, every, one, single per

to identify the variable and form equations

-Using the =SUM(.....) formula to solve equations

-Colour coding cheaper options to build confidence and then explaining in context

Tracking progress/achievement

The college’s ViTaL tracking sheet was used where learners were given a green square for work completion for each activity and orange for incomplete. This system not only encourages self-management but to also prompts learning conversations about specific needs which are often easily addressed/resolved as learners can articulate their needs.