nilsbird training – the blog

Mathematics Question – Number 16

May 4, 2021May 4, 2021nilsbird

For those of you following the Mathematics Questions, Number 16 is now available to download from https://nilsbirdtraining.com/mathematics-resources.

As I said in a previous post, from Mathematics Question – Number 17 onwards, the questions and any additional information that would ordinarily appear in the Mathematics Questions – Newsletters, will become a feature of the blog. The newsletters will then become a summary of the blog posts. You can sign up to receive the Mathematics Questions – Newsletters here.

A new feature, coming soon, will be a dedicated domain name for the Mathematics Questions.

David
nilsbird training

Motivation – how to engage students? Part 2

May 1, 2021May 1, 2021nilsbird

This week ended, after having spent my first time in a Junior School (7 to 11 yrs of age in the UK) since a few days of supply teaching I did 2/3 years ago. I am in the school for around 10 weeks; again as part of the UK Government’s National Tutoring Programme. I am working with groups of 3. (Students having been selected for extra support because of the education they have missed over the last year.)

One thing that struck me, from my first few days, was a comment that one of the 9 year olds said to me. They confidently declared that they don’t like maths. They like literacy instead. So, it makes you wonder what it is that has given the student this opinion? They are only 9 and they have already made the choice! What does this mean for the student, when they have another 7 years to study this subject? They have already decided they don’t like! (It makes you wonder how long a 14 year old, who is disinterested in maths, has held their opinion?)

Can we blame a teacher for the choice the student has made? Was maths taught in an uninteresting way and this caused the student to make their decision? We will never know. How are we now to bring the student to see the importance of the subject? The annoying thing is, I think the student shows promise of being good at the subject (with support).

I have just googled a phrase I remember. Something along the lines of, give me a child of 7 and I’ll make a man of him. One website says it’s Aristotle who said it: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/709859-give-me-a-child-until-he-is-7-and-i. Another talks about it being the motto of the Jesuit Order: https://breakingspells.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/give-me-a-child-until-he-is-seven-and-i-will-give-you-the-man/

Does this phrase also mean, what I learn in the first few years of schooling can make or break my interest in a subject? We will ponder.

Your views, as always, are welcome. Connect with me using the contact details shown in the side bar.

Thanks,
David
nilsbird training

Motivation – how to engage students?

April 23, 2021April 23, 2021nilsbird

My current teaching revolves around tutoring, as part of the UK Government’s National Tutoring Programme. This tutoring is designed to support students who have lost out on education because of the Covid Pandemic.

One thing myself, and others, are finding is a lack of enthusiasm/motivation from students to participate. The tutoring provides an ideal environment for catch-up but many students are just not that bothered. No doubt there are many factors as to why this is so but my thinking is: if the need to sit a public examination is taken away, will students then want to do tutoring?

So, this is an interesting point to ponder. What really engages and motivates students to learn in school? For older students, certainly, I would say that the need to pass an examination will motivate many but not all. But for younger students, what really motivates them?

More soon on this!

David
nilsbird training

PISA – What happened in 2018?

April 23, 2021April 23, 2021nilsbird

A report in the Guardian newspaper – https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/apr/22/maths-scores-in-world-education-rankings-inflated-for-england-and-wales-study – says a report (soon to be published in the Review of Education) will claim that PISA maths results, from 2018, might show inflated scores for 15 year olds in England and Wales.

The report says the study, carried out by UCL Institute of Education, suggests scores were inflated because the sample was unrepresentative: low levels of participation in the test and not enough representation of lower achieving students.

This year will be the next round of PISA tests. I wonder where the UK will sit?

What do you think about the PISA tests? Does your country consider international comparisons important?

Let me know your thoughts.

David
nilsbird training

Mathematics Question – Number 15 and beyond!

April 21, 2021April 21, 2021nilsbird

Mathematics Question – Number 15 can now be found at https://nilsbirdtraining.com/mathematics-resources. This time the combination of topics is – geometric sequences, ratio and surds.

From Mathematics Question – Number 17, onwards, I plan to post each question on the blog, as well, with extra comments that will then appear in the Mathematics Questions – Newsletters. So, basically, each question, plus comments, will become part of the blog and then the newsletter will appear periodically, bringing together, each time, three questions plus comments (as it does now). Hope that makes sense!

See you soon,
David
nilsbird training

Debates about what we believe!

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021nilsbird

As I write this post, Joseph Hubbard (https://creationresearch.net) is working on his materials for an interesting debate that will happen tomorrow night (Saturday), 10:00 pm UK time.

Joseph Hubbard works as a trainer for nilsbird training, presenting materials and support specifically for Christian teachers (https://nilsbirdtraining.com/teaching-creation-science-from-a-biblical-perspective-2)

At 10:00 pm UK time tomorrow (Saturday), Joe will be debating with ‘Snake Was Right’. The topic of the debate is ‘Young Earth Creation & Noah’s Flood–It Didn’t Happen!’

You can watch the event live at the following link: https://youtu.be/bfo25drVbsM.

I would encourage you to tune in, if you have ever considered, or are prepared to consider, alternative opinions to what you might have been taught (and always assumed was true).

See you soon.

David