Research School Network: Creating the Conditions for Change in the Maths Classroom A Structure to Support Implementation

A common challenge for both new and experienced teachers is finding the time and mechanisms to make effective, evidence-based changes across secondary maths departments. As we started supporting our department to improve, we used some helpful models and approaches to support that process. From the moment I read John Mason’s work on The Discipline of Noticing it really resonated with me.

The updated implementation guidance report, especially when used hand in hand with the professional development guidance report, provides useful models to help create the conditions for change to be effective and sustained.

A Structure to Support Implementation

I am as likely as many other teachers to spend my lesson time dashing around prompting and supporting pupils to tackle increasingly challenging work, without being able to find the time to really reflect. Coaching and mentoring create blissful opportunities to unpick some of the details that take place in a maths lesson and involves all stakeholders in the change process through reflection. The idea of being able to create the space to ​‘notice’ (Mason, 2001) a phenomenon in real time is a key aspect of maths teachers being able to reflect and develop their practice.

Although the process of dialogue and feedback often takes place at the end of a lesson, we also wanted to create space for some dialogue within the lesson, to be able to provide moments to notice an event within a lesson. This then would support a later conversation about options related to practice behaviour change, enabling the teacher to be both more prepared to notice those moments in the future but also have a focus for discussion.

Utilising Technology to Promote Behaviour Change

Another strategy to create dialogue is recording lessons and then watching them back, working together to notice those key moments in the lesson has long been a form of CPD for teachers to develop their practice. Challenges with this include being able to hear all of the interesting conversations taking place and also the amount to record. More is not always best! Short, minute long clips that focus on a specific area of practice allow that process of noticing to be focused.

Application to the Maths Classroom

After noticing key events, maths teachers then need to have options for how they implement effective behaviour change. I think Emma McCrea’s (McCrea, 2019) work speaks well to maths teachers because it’s so specific about different strategies. Ideas are broken up and then you are encouraged to create a table of what you use.

What’s powerful here is that you are encouraged to consider which groups/​individuals changes will have the most impact with, which is especially important when considering the needs of our most disadvantaged learners. It also helps prevent maths teachers from making changes for changes sake, or because something sounds like it might be good, and helps prevent teachers accidently stopping good approaches. The EEF Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3 is a constant for supporting such discussions and identifying evidence based strategies.

The Principle of Adaptive Teaching

Trainee teachers have good opportunities to observe teachers as they begin their journey. I wonder how much of that is quality observation rather than passive. Do we, as more experienced teachers, take the opportunity to highlight key moments in the lesson and share the options and choices made? Being able to change what we do links closely to developing Adaptive Teaching which other Research School blogs have addressed. Adaptive Teaching | Huntington Research School

While changing what we do is challenging, the responses we saw from the work we did suggest that it is worth persevering with. Certainly, the conversations staff are having about what they do, the options they have and where they could see any impact of changes have been really positive.