Auburn North Public School

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Auburn North Public School

• Changing Practice in Numeracy to Improve Student
  Outcomes
• By Bronwen Camp and Erin Grainger

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School Background

• 561 students
• 35 language backgrounds
• 130 refugees
• Community languages Turkish, Arabic, Chinese,
  Dari
• PSP school
• Low Socio Economic Status community
• Transient student population
• 19 Early Career teachers
• Full time teacher mentor

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Data Collection We utilise a range of data to
inform our direction in numeracy.

• NAPLAN data
• This year we have been looking at students
  incorrect responses and using a Newmans Error
  Analysis approach to work out why students
  answered questions incorrectly.
• Looking at where our students scored in terms of
  percentages as opposed to comparisons between the
  district or state.

• School based data
• Benchmarking pre / post assessment
• These are grade based pre and post assessment
  tasks that are completed each term that fit with
  our school scope and sequence.
• SENA and Counting On
• Teachers are given 1 teacher relief day to assess
  students in Term 1. They are asked to record
  their students data on school based graphs and
  update information throughout the year.
• Class data and student work samples.

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Data Collection We utilise a range of data to
inform our direction in numeracy.

• Surveys
• Staff surveys - Each year we create detailed
  staff surveys to ensure we are meeting the needs
  of teachers.
• Informal feedback through stage representatives
  on the numeracy committee or through mentor
  support.
• Annual School Report we have surveyed staff,
  students and parents through our numeracy
  curriculum focus over the last 2 years.
• Numeracy Review We conducted interviews with
  students, staff and parents (using translators).
• Parent workshops in numeracy We always ask
  parents what their requests are for future
  training sessions.

• Numeracy Review (2009)
• Tracking of student data overtime
• Modifying pre post tests
• Use of rubrics - CTJ
• Future direction for staff T D
• Teacher knowledge and use of syllabus and support
  documents Must Have Must Know boxes.
• Mandatory requirements in maths.
• Numeracy IMPAQT focus
• Revise scope and sequence.
• Lesson structure and timing.
• Protected numeracy time.
• Effective use of specialist staff
• Parents informed of what their children were
  learning (maths newsletters)
• Parent workshops in numeracy

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What do we do with the data?

• Resources
• We look at areas identified in our data and
  teacher surveys and assess what resources we
  could make or buy to support teachers
  implementation of the syllabus through motivating
  and engaging students.
• Maths related readers and big books
• Charts
• Resource tubs for each class
• Fractions and Decimals
• Language of maths
• CMIT
• Counting On
• Newmans Error Analysis
• CMIT homework activities.

• Training and Development
• Each year we look at our data and teacher surveys
  and create T D sessions that cater for
  identified needs. We have run a range of T D
  sessions using the following modes of delivery
  whole staff, grade teams, differentiated sessions
  and choose a session.
• Language of maths
• Differentiation
• CTJ in numeracy
• ICT in numeracy
• Newmans Error Analysis
• CMIT
• Counting On
• Backward mapping, rubrics

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What do we do with the data?

• Teacher mentoring / support allocation
• In 2009 we have used 3 days a week of our PSP
  teacher allocation for numeracy mentoring in the
  classrooms.
• Areas of priority for support this year CMIT,
  Counting On, Newmans Error Analysis, CMIT
  homework activities (Yr 1- Yr 4), beginning
  teachers and teachers not trained in CMIT and
  Counting On.
• As with students you cant assume that because
  youve taught it theyve got it. Staff training
  needs to be followed up in the classroom and
  ongoing support provided.

• Parent Training
• Each year we have provided parents with some form
  of training in numeracy. We use our Community
  Language teachers to translate for these
  sessions. Some areas covered in the last few
  years include CMIT, mental computation, language
  of maths, Best Start.
• Harmony House also runs maths sessions for
  parents each week.
• Grade based maths newsletters go home each term
  to inform parents of what their child will be
  learning. These include visual information as
  well as examples of outcomes being taught to help
  the parents understand what we are teaching.

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What have been the key factors in achieving
change in numeracy?

• A dedicated numeracy team
• PSP money (resources, teacher relief for
  assessing, creating resources and pre and post
  tests)
• PSP teacher relief mentor support
• A school culture that is supportive of team
  teaching
• Support from Marion Assagaier Numeracy
  Consultant
• Keen and committed staff, students and parents
• Training and development
• A Principal who supports the numeracy teams
  initiatives
• Change needs to be informed, directed and
  supported

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Maths readers Each class K-6 has a set of maths
  related readers covering the sub-strands of
  maths. (Cross curricula links)
• Maths big books We have a large range of maths
  big books in our library.

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Maths in a box We purchased sets of these and
  bagged them in sub-strands so that more teachers
  could be using them. (Real world links)
• Maths charts Strategies All K-6 classes have
  strategies posters which provide good visual
  support for students as well as providing
  explicit strategies.
• - Language All K-2
  classes have commercial language of maths posters
  which provide good visual and language support
  for students across most strands of maths.

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.
Language of maths words (pencil cases) We have
all the language of maths words from the What
When How to teach maths folder on flashcards for
teachers to use in lessons and displays. Newman
s Error Analysis Each class has the Newmans
prompts on cards as well as sets of cut up NAPLAN
questions.
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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Blank language of maths chart Teachers and
  students use this during maths lessons so that it
  is interactive rather than wall art.
• Cross curricula links links between the
  sub-strands in maths - Teachers are starting to
  do this more confidently and effectively.

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Making explicit links for students so they
  understand the connections prior learning, real
  world.
• Mental computation Using open ended questions
  allowing for students to use a variety of mental
  computation skills and strategies as well as
  allowing the students to talk the talk

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Focus / purpose of the lesson and reflection time
  Giving students a clear focus for their
  learning and an opportunity for reflection helps
  them to consolidate their language and
  understanding.
• Hands on learning interacting with resources
  and other students to develop their understanding
  of concepts and language in a motivating and
  engaging environment that allows for
  investigating.
• Recording in maths taking the hands on learning
  one step further in the classroom and in CMIT HW
  activities. This must be modelled to children.

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Visual literacy students need to know how to
  read and interpret words, graphs, charts,
  pictures.
• Timing of lessons Too much talk can be
  confusing for students. Timing of lessons is very
  important as is using the teaching and learning
  cycle to inform your lessons. In the long run it
  is better to have a solid understanding of what
  you are doing rather than a lot of partly known
  information. Go for quality over quantity.
• Differentiation and scaffolding student learning
  Teachers need to differentiate and scaffold the
  students use of the language of maths as well as
  numeracy tasks.
• ICT there are some fantastic computer programs
  and interactive whiteboard activities that allow
  students to engage in their learning and
  investigations in numeracy. (4 interactive
  whiteboards were installed in classrooms last
  term.)

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Quality teaching elements If you are using
  these in your lessons you cant go wrong.
• Maths newsletters Informing parents of what we
  are teaching in maths each term with visual
  literacy and language to support their needs.

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The Language of Maths The literacy demands in
numeracy lessons.

• Classroom displays Teachers have fantastic
  numeracy displays in their rooms which promote
  the language of mathematics and represent what
  students are learning in mathematics.
• This is what some of them look like...

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Are we there yet?

• No but we are well on our way.

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Where to next?

• Staff
• New directions
• With the focus of this project perhaps some ESL
  support time could be specifically allocated to
  supporting numeracy in the classrooms.
• Use some of the notice boards in open areas to
  further raise the profile of maths by displaying
  student work samples and photos.
• Consolidating or enhancing what we are already
  doing
• Implementation of the new syllabus will mean we
  have to modify our scope and sequence, pre / post
  tests and parent newsletters. We will also need
  to train staff in changes in the syllabus.
• Integrating numeracy across the curriculum and
  through ICT.
• Developing a deeper understanding of CMIT,
  Counting On and Newmans Error Analysis.
• Embedding the use of graphed SENA and Counting On
  data along with pre / post data as ongoing
  assessment across the school.
• Regularly analysing data at a stage level to
  ensure all students reach their full potential
  and at risk students are identified early.
• Mentor support - PSP teacher allocation for 2010
  hasnt yet been discussed but hopefully there
  will be a continued focus on numeracy.
• To gain whole school perspective in classroom
  teaching and identifying areas of need Maria
  Serafim has suggested I as mentor, stage
  supervisors or the numeracy person from each
  stage observe teachers once a term and provide
  feedback to them.

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Where to next?

• Students
• Using student self assessment as a tool for
  learning.
• Gaining regular informal feedback from students.
• Parents
• Space and measurement
• ICT in numeracy
• Problem solving
• Resources
• Numeracy playground markings
• Continue to develop CMIT homework activities for
  Stages 1 and 2.
• Develop NAPLAN style homework cards for Stage 3.
• Stocktake and reorganise maths resources
• We have a lot of things that we would like to
  do. To ensure the quality of what we want to do
  isnt undermined the numeracy team, in
  conjunction with the leadership team, will need
  to prioratise our short term and long term goals.