Hi everyone,
I do hope that the school visit at Greeenridge Secondary School has been a fruitful one.
Now, let us take some time to reflect on the things that were shared by Wendy. You may refer to the following guiding questions for your reflection.
a) List 3 things that you have learnt from the school visit.
b) Identify 2 good practices that we might want to adopt for our department.
c) List 1 strategy that you will try in your teaching or with your class.
Happy reflecting!!
Abdul Malek
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Here are some of the key learning points that I have noted from the sharing conducted by Wendy.
a. Diagnostic test for new secondary 1 students. 1hr test with topics from primary 6. Bridging conducted during remedial.
b. Students grouped according to their maths ability. Strong teacher for weakest class. Banding adopted if have manpower.
c. Different forms of assessment
- Test & Re-test (fail any re-test, student have to stay back after school)
- 3 question quiz (1 question from homework & 2 questions from same exercise)
- Oral assessment
d. For 4E/5N - adopted enhanced common test (only for core subjects: Eng, Maths, Sci & Humanities)
e. Number of enhanced common test - Express (3-1-3) & NA (3-1-2)
f. Conduct remedials & extra classes on Saturdays - non compulsory
g. Reward system for students who did well - Honours role
h. Banded timetable
i. Many split classes
j. Peer tutoring and collaborative strategies in classes
k. Lots of homework
l. Relationship with students is crucial
m. Minimum marking but go through solution with students. Students identify their mistakes.
n. Give students regular quantity of exercises with enough time to complete
o. Quality of exam paper - 60% recall, 40% thinking (even worst students should be able to pass if they study)
p. Always encourage students to finish work in school where they can always get help from peers or teachers. Discourage students to bring assignment home as they tend not to do.
q. Teacher is always there for students.
Now, personally to me, the key learning points are:
1. committed teachers
2. to have good relationship with students
3. to always be there for them
These are attributes that I believe our maths teachers have and we will strive to ACHIEVE 100% PASSES for mathematics.
The HOD is very people-centred. She's not concerned about the nitty-gritty. Ultimately it boils down to the students learning and wanting to learn.
- DO not give them homework if its not done. Do it in class.This is especially so for those who do not have anyone at home guiding them.
- Give lots of homework for those who can do. Do not be bogged down by the marking so much so that it affects the amount given. Feedback should always be given BUT it can be given in many ways.
- Give your time to the pupils even if its to just sit quietly with them while they do their work. YOur physical presence is important.
We have truly succeeded
-if students come for remedials even when its made optional.
- students ask for remedials and homework.
- students feel that Maths is no longer a chore
a) 3 things learnt:
- Dedicated Teachers +
Hardworking & Motivated
Students
= 100% passes in mathematics
- Peer tutoring is a powerful
tool as it allows students to
get "personalised" attention
on areas that they are weak
in
- When students starts to taste
the fruits of success, that's
when they fall "in love" with
mathematics
b) 2 good practices for maths dept
- Enhanced common class test
- Decrease the students to
maths teacher ratio
c) 1 strategy to try with my
classes
- 3 question quiz
Pearl :)
3 things learnt:
1. A good culture takes time and perseverence and IT IS ATTAINABLE.
2. Strategy of deploying strong teachers for weaker class. eg. 401, 301.
3. Constant assessment to match teaching to level of understanding.
Good Practices:
1. Oral assessment. Can be done every lesson as a checking out activity.
2. Quality of homework and not quantity. It is better to have 3 questions properly done then 10 questions with 70% blanks. Optional questions can be given as assignments for better students to stretch them.
3. Test and retest and the enhance common test. The retest is a good way to get our students to study their mistake and the enhanced common test done in the afternoon will make the students take the test more seriously and free up lesson time.
I will use the oral assessments and doing assignments after school strategies for 414 and peer (paired) tutoring for some of my weaker class in 512.
Ryan
I've realized that alot of their strategies are more or less the same as ours. Like Diagnostic test, Sec 1 Bridging test, common test, peer tutoring etc.
Maybe some of our strategies we did not stand firm on doing, like the peer tutoring, which I think there's a need for at least a teacher to be there to assisst the Maths Councillors in tutoring the younger ones.
Most important of all, their students are very motivated and keen in learning, which I think we should think of ways of how to engage the students and make them feel motivated.
Ginny
a) List 3 things that you have learnt from the school visit.
1) Enhanced Common Test for the 4E/5N classes
2) Oral Assessment
3) 3 Question Quiz
b) Identify 2 good practices that we might want to adopt for our department.
1) Oral Assessment for the NT classes.
2) Getting the students to finish most if not all their assignment in class.
c) List 1 strategy that you will try in your teaching or with your class.
Oral Assessment for NT classes.
The visit is indeed an eye-opener for me.
But it has also raised several doubts.
1) It was mentioned that teachers with 3-4 years of teaching experience might not be “experienced” enough for certain deployment. However, if the teachers are not given the opportunity to be deployed, when will they ever gain the experience required to be deployed? No all schools have the benefit of having senior or experienced teachers to anchor the levels. For junior teachers, is there a structured programme in placed to guide/train them?
2) As mentioned, having remedials/lessons on Saturdays is purely on a voluntary basis. However, will it ever come to a point where all the different departments will embark on this practice. Cause for concern is that once everyone is doing it, it creates unnecessary pressure for the others to follow suit.
Lye Peng
1) I learnt that routine, being kiasu and small steps are important. You need to get the students into a routine so that they'll get used to it and not complain so much. I can make use of students' kiasuism to get to them to study. Once students taste a bit of success, they'll be encouraged to study harder. Hence, small steps are important.
2) I liked the 3 marks quiz and the peer tutoring ideas.
3) I would like to try to put them in peer tutoring groups.
The visit to Greenridge Sec was an enriching trip.
Wendy was kind to draw time from her busy schedule to share with us some useful practices in her school.
I have learnt a few useful tips from her sharing:
1. Items to be included in sec 1 diagnostic test.
2. Set tests on what the students were taught. A test need not be long but must be able to evaluate students on all aspects that they have learnt.
3. Pre-plan the test dates and topics so that the students would know when to expect a test and could prepare for the topics beforehand.
4. Revision MUST be done before each test.
5. Oral assessment sounds good. We could try out next year.
Huiqun
(a) The following are the contributing factors for things to work out: (1)good teamwork and cooperation among the department teachers are important contributing factors for things to happen.
- dedication and the strong belief in students by the teachers.
- good support from the school management.
(b)(1) enhanced common tests
(2) 3 question quiz
(c) well-organised peer tutoring
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