https://t.co/FO2M8M5cuj Mark McCourt, @EmathsUK correctly says that maths learning is based on mastery. This is consistent with the brain research evidence, particularly @StanDehaene Mastery does not come from grinding, or, as @simonjenkins4 says, from doing more maths of the wrong kind. Mastery grows from counting and begins with understanding how numbers work - not with mindless repetition. An example is my wife's giving her grandson, aged 6, five 20p pieces from the tooth fairy instead of a £1 coin.
This takes time. The present national curriculum, and the work of @joboaler and associates introduces too much too soon, and is not consistent with evidence of development. Like excessive grinding, it is a recipe for cognitive overload. Both lead to failure.
Beautiful words and so very rarely understood by leaders in education...sincerity is the missing part...leading to just make things better for the sake of making it better!
Great piece by @EmathsUK:
"This is the perverse incentive at the heart of the system. The very people who hold the keys to consolidation are the people who stand to lose the most from it."
https://t.co/9s7UcGv8CT
This gets to the essence of learning, consistent with Vygotsky (making his "non-spontaneous concepts second nature), Dehaene and the other FRS who have worked so hard to make brain research accessible and understandable to the rest of us.
One point of detail. I'm not sure I'd have a five year old learning to count in twos, unless they could keep track of how many twos they have. In other words, I'd learn the table at the same time, so they couldn't get it wrong - aka second nature - and build further investigation on that.
🧠 Teach until they can’t get it wrong – I really enjoyed this blog from @EmathsUK on making learning stick.
Mark McCourt reminds us: it’s not about coverage, it’s about mastery.
My favourite takeaway is:
💬 “Treat a correct answer as the start of learning, not the end.”
@EmathsUK Was desperately searching for this earlier this week to share with others - so glad it reappeared on my feed. Thanks so much for writing! Curious about your thoughts on dyscalculia also.
@adamboxer1 Perhaps because we have forgotten the role is (or should be) the pinnacle of a career in education.
I wrote this about the issue…
https://t.co/9vnLN4PiNk