{"id":481,"date":"2012-10-14T22:21:28","date_gmt":"2012-10-14T22:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mrreddy.com\/blog\/?p=481"},"modified":"2024-10-12T14:24:59","modified_gmt":"2024-10-12T14:24:59","slug":"what-has-jo-boaler-got-to-do-with-it-maths-at-ksa-that-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mrreddy.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/what-has-jo-boaler-got-to-do-with-it-maths-at-ksa-that-is\/","title":{"rendered":"What has Jo Boaler got to do with it? [Maths at KSA, that is.]"},"content":{"rendered":"

At KSA, we teach maths in mixed ability groups all the way through Keystage 3 (ages 11-14) and I now think it’s one of the smartest decisions we ever made. When I was appointed Head of Maths, before the school even opened, the Headteacher asked me <\/p>\n

How do you feel about mixed ability groups in maths?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In my brief experience up to that point, I could only imagine teaching maths in ability groups so I told him<\/p>\n

It wouldn’t work. Absolutely no way. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You can’t possibly teach level 2 and level 6 pupils in the same class at the same time. Not unless you can clone the teacher or find a way for them to be in four places at once. I double-checked my position on this with my previous head of department and some other maths people. All agreed it was ludicrous.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>He’s very sharp my headteacher. He came back and asked me<\/p>\n

What do you know about Complex Instruction Technique?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nothing, was my answer. He already had a solution mapped out but he planted the seed and let me water it myself.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jo Boaler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not wanting to use a hosepipe in the dark, I went away to research Complex Instruction Technique (CIT) and found very little of it happening in the UK. The only link I could find was Jo Boaler<\/a> at the University of Sussex. I’d never really contacted anyone of academic importance out of the blue before (or anyone of any importance for that matter). Without an alternative, I emailed her and to my surprise she agreed to meet and take me through her research. That was back in early 2009.<\/p>\n

Five pillars (and one more to come) of my classroom<\/strong>
\nWhen KSA opened later that year, with mixed ability maths classes as planned, the seed had grown into a sapling and group-worthy tasks were all I could think about. Between then and now, CIT has become one of the five pillars of my classroom along with Singapore maths, Times Table Rock Stars, peer tutoring and time-shifted teaching…I’m trying to construct a sixth in the shape of Three Acts. (Give me time Dan Meyer, please.)<\/p>\n

Here’s how I get them into it<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>Every year, before starting on group tasks, we undergo three lessons of groupwork training that focus on:<\/p>\n