Inquiry Maths

I’m back in the homeroom after a few years in specialist teaching, and I know my whole approach to teaching and learning is nothing like it used to be. I’m taking risks, I’m questioning my students much deeper than I ever did before, and I am spending a whole lot more time thinking carefully about the way I introduce important concepts to the students.

Week 2. We are supposed to be teaching number lines.

So I decided to look at number lines through the lens of two of the key concepts of the PYP. 

Form and Function.

I wrote the words ‘number lines’ on the board explained that today we will be thinking about number lines. I explicitly used the language ‘form – What is it like?’.

Student Y told me to draw a line on the board and to split it up with smaller vertical lines. 

Before moving on to placing the numbers, I asked about the function of number lines – what do we use them for? As you can see in the photograph below, there were some great ideas and one student even connected number lines to the real world (I quietly jumped for joy!).

Following this, I gave each student a strip of paper with one blank number line and asked them to fill in the numbers to make it into a number line. At this point I stressed that there could definitely be more than one answer and that I would even love it if there were 22 completely different number lines. Lots of smiles and looks that said ‘does she really mean that?’ – they are not used to me yet! I also hinted that they could choose to make it an easy number line or a tricky one. And then said no more and left them to it!

As students finished they came back to the mat and I asked them to compare their own number lines with their classmates and to look for any similarities or differences. Lots of engaged talking followed! As a class, we then grouped lines that looked the same (or similar) and found there were 7 general types (see photo below). There was lots of discussion and great ideas as students tried to figure out the meaning of the additional lines on Amelie’s line! 

I then gave the students a sheet with five empty number lines. We decided as a class that the first line should be the ‘traditional’ count-by-ones number line starting at zero. The remaining four number lines were for the students to complete as they wished. Some examples below.

I learnt a lot about my students today. I found out that some students are confident counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s. Interestingly only one student chose to create a number line that counted by 3s. I found out that some students needed support to finish the task. I found out that some of my students are not used to open questions and just wanted to know what the ‘right’ answer was (which I never gave, of course!). 

I also confirmed within me that I am completely OK with letting go. 

I was excited by the students’ thoughts and questions.

It’s very very early days and I’m sure there will be stumbling blocks and times that I fail. I’m completely OK with that too. At the core of everything I do my focus will be student LEARNING. Learning that they will use when they are 40 years old. Learning that is relevant to the real world. Learning that is significant, relevant, engaging, and challenging.

Inquiry for the WIN! No doubt.

#Concepts #Inquiry #Learning #Maths