Dom Nice

Teacher in FE from Entry Level Functional Skills to Level 3 Core Maths, lover of all things mathematical 👨‍🏫

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

I am going to start streaming GCSE Maths Foundation past paper solutions on Twitch every Monday and Thursday evening, 6pm-7pm. These are open to all, so if any keen bean students are looking to keep up with their studies, send them my way! #GCSEMaths #FE
https://t.co/yiwawd3WAG

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@marcmaths @Whitehead_Maths @EdThenTech @tessmaths Sadly I’ve found it quite rare for my resit students to enjoy maths, and I don’t think it’s from a lack of effort on my part. I’m very passionate about it, but the best I usually get is “We like your lessons, just not maths” etc. #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@SoniaThomasETF @Whitehead_Maths @ClaireCollins8 All of those things I wish we could provide for our learners anyway, regardless of GLH. I don’t however imagine that many providers would have the capacity to give small group support, let alone individual support, to meet GLH for every single FS student #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@marcmaths @Whitehead_Maths @EdThenTech @tessmaths I understand that embedding/vocationalising (sp?) might get students on board with M&E studies, but I don’t know to what effect it helps them pass their qual... #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@Whitehead_Maths I suspect not. I imagine that most employers have little idea what the content is like on FS quals, and only a vague idea of what the levels mean, unless they’ve specified L2 M&E required for the job. I further doubt employers would know that any changes happened at all #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@marcmaths @tessmaths @EdThenTech @Whitehead_Maths I see the concern, but if an engineer requires Maths to follow their career, is it right to let them progress without a good Maths ability? #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@tessmaths @EdThenTech @Whitehead_Maths I think M/E module in vocational programmes sounds good. Time dedicated to it. Embedding only gets you so far #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@EdThenTech @Whitehead_Maths @tessmaths I thought there was talk a while ago about “academic routes”, where GCSE would be the goal for Ss on ‘academic’ courses, but L2 FS would be enough for those on ‘technical’ routes #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@tessmaths @Whitehead_Maths It’s true, but with current government regulations, taking those things out of FS Maths would make the step up to GCSE even harder. #UKFEChat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@tessmaths @Whitehead_Maths Those new topics for Maths do feel frustrating. “Functional Skills” always makes me think of percentages, fractions, problem solving etc, genuinely useful skills.

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@Whitehead_Maths @FunkySteveMaths

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@CoreMathsCat @AoC_info @tesfenews @FE_lecturer @FEWeek @ColinSeabrook @FENews We have around 40 Core students at West Suffolk College, 10 year 2s, 30 students taking it as a one year course. Happy to help if I can!

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@NickyCHawkins @MrsSarahSimons I agree, if relatable figures from students' vocational areas are reinforcing that "well you just have to do it" mentality, students will take it on. If those figures/role models are supportive of the usefulness and necessity of EM quals... #ukfechat

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@sarahbe1971 We are entering select students for the Nov sitting if they show willing (engage, attend etc) and score reasonably highly in an imminent mock. No hard line about what they must score, they just need to stand a reasonable chance of passing. Don't want to set anyone up to fail

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@MrWilliamsMaths @cvcltang @reflectivemaths @Mahoney_Maths @TLMaths @last_centurion @LorHRL @handml33 Demonstrating how close you can get sounds good to validate the usefulness. When you're dealing with numbers in the tens of thousands, does it matter that you were off by a few hundred?

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@cvcltang @reflectivemaths @Mahoney_Maths @TLMaths @last_centurion @LorHRL @handml33 @MrWilliamsMaths Perhaps to limit the sheer number of assumptions a student is making, it's worth spending time listing the minimum things you need to know to answer a given Q? Might work for some Qs, not for others

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@last_centurion @cvcltang @reflectivemaths @Mahoney_Maths @TLMaths @LorHRL @handml33 @MrWilliamsMaths I agree, and a lot of the advice for a learner with ASD would probably be appropriate for some of my learners who are just afraid to make guesses/assumptions at the best of times!

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@cvcltang @reflectivemaths @Mahoney_Maths @TLMaths @last_centurion @LorHRL @handml33 @MrWilliamsMaths I feel like Fermi is one of those things which is super easy for a starter, so practice isn't tough to squeeze in if it's beneficial.

[Dom Nice @NiceMaths]

@cvcltang @reflectivemaths @Mahoney_Maths @TLMaths @last_centurion @LorHRL @handml33 @MrWilliamsMaths I've never been in that position, interesting question. Perhaps making it clear that there are still distinct steps to answering a question, it's just that one of those steps is to make assumptions? Perhaps it's just a case of practice?