My initial endeavour into videoing didn’t quite go as planned as I hadn’t put my phone onto video but simply took a photo. 😏  And I missed getting film of the difference between the boys and the girls.

The boys simply played with the coloured ice-block sticks “I’m making a plane” said one, and all the boys decided that was a good idea.  Meanwhile the girls were laying the sticks out in coloured order - “I’m making a rainbow” said one of the girls.  So that was a surprise.

I then suggested that everyone try and group the sticks somehow.  The boys were a bit unsure, but looked at what the girls did then copied them.

So, my initial thoughts might be that girls have a more natural mathematical bent - but it’s a pretty big jump from one small observation to making a statement such as that. It may be that the boys just like making planes, and girls don’t.

7 March

Garth came in to do a walkthrough today.  What a mess!!  I had three new children that I'd inherited from Rm 19, and they didn’t really know what was happening. Also two of my boys decided it was a good idea to play very loudly while I was working with my small group.

I was attempting to let the kids ‘see’ what 5 plus one more looks like by using coloured beads.  

From the short session Garth saw, I was compelled to do some deep thinking about my inquiry.  Two things have emerged.

1. I need to make sure that I have the students’ full attention (ensure all other kids are well set up with quiet activities)
2. I need to ensure that fun is being had while at the same time learning is being achieved.  One student was not interested in the numbers as such, but he was really enjoying threading beads onto the string.  There must be a balance between what’s fun and the learning.  

Something to think about over the next few days.

I’ve been considering the play aspect of my inquiry, and wonder if the idea should move from ‘play’ to ‘movement’.  I might find it easier to focus on movement in learning, rather than just play in learning.  I’m going to think about this over the coming week and make some decisions by the end of the week to see if I’ll stick with play, or move towards movement.  Or… perhaps they’re just the same thing????

Hmmm - thinking hat on!

Maths Inquiry 2017

Our school-wide inquiry focus is based around Mathematics.

In my class of five year olds, I have observed some children looking somewhat
confused and anxious when it comes to Maths. And yet people suggest that all children have a natural ‘bent’ towards mathematics, and that mathematical thinking comes naturally.  They say that all children like to sort, group and notice things and that this natural inquisitiveness should result in the learning of Maths being somewhat natural - without worry or concern, and requiring no coercion at all.

My initial investigation will be to see if this is true.  To answer that question I intend to have a variety of materials available to observe if students will indeed sort, group and notice.  

Once I’ve established that all children do (or do not) in fact have a natural Mathematics bent, I'll be able to investigate my real question around Maths, which is....

What place does 'play' have in encouraging mathematical thinking and a greater enjoyment and participation in the learning of Maths?

My hunch is that children who are adverse to Mathematics will become more engaged in the Maths we do as a class or group, as they begin to realise that Maths isn't that scary after all, and that it can actually be fun.

I look forward to the investigation and hope the results are very clear, as they will add another dimension to my teaching practise throughout this year (and years to come!).