Rick HT

Full time math enthusiast.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@MrCFMaths Takes a little more time but I started alternating papers by changing the values and/or rewording long questions (thus giving minimal changes to the mark-scheme). If they saw the original paper it gives them practice applying what they learnt from it.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@DavidKButlerUoA It would take sometime to set up but you could use a flash card app (you’d have to type the questions yourself). There’s some great ones that will ask questions you get wrong more frequently (and memrise is good if you’re looking for things with a one word answer)

[Miss Woods @MissWoodsMaths]

Please help … I have a Y12 student, female, wants to do maths at uni, very able, she went to open day at the wkend and felt it was very male dominated (this matters to her for a number of reasons) and she is wondering if any unis out there with a better gender balance, please RT

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@ThtPedagogyGeek Some of my colleagues set more homework, some set none. I’ve tried investigating the ‘too much work’ and there was 3 main reasons. 1)messing around in lessons 2)trying to teach themselves the course instead of asking for help 3)restarting work instead of crossing things out??

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@ThtPedagogyGeek @robotmaths We do 10 hours in school (across 3 teachers). Usual homework is to finish textbook work (some students finish in lesson, others need about an hour more). Once a month I set a sheet of exam questions (approx 30 marks) that require problem solving (& an optional step/ukmt question)

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@MathsImpact However recently I was helping students with STEP and found that relying on checking answers is a bad habit/trap to fall into. If you can’t do part a, still try parts b-d (before immediately checking how to do it).

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@MathsImpact I find a lot of students don’t ask for help when they’re struggling, and some finish all the work but don’t say anything. I wish they weren’t so shy, but by giving them the answers at least they can mark their work.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@jon_hutchinson_ I absolutely love the emphasis on quiet kids. I always feel like they need the most support but get neglected because they don’t cause a disruption and get good grades anyway.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mrallanmaths I think there’s only 3, but summer holiday brain has kicked in and I can’t even solve basic questions at the moment. So I’d say 3 ± 100

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mrallanmaths Not a bad puzzle for a potential thief, let’s hope they don’t follow you!
It felt like Christmas the time I got 3605 (the first 4 digits of root 13). It was really hard not telling everyone until it expired.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@martinmbauer I’m starting to think this Hilbert’s hotel place doesn’t exist. I can’t book a room, because the queue is infinitely long, which is strange if it’s never full?
And where are they getting all those buses with infinite seats? It’s got to be a squeeze.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@214Missc I make a list of summer goals, including skills to learn & new hobbies. One year I learnt to ride a unicycle (and got too many bruises), one time I learnt as many card tricks/shuffles as possible, this year I’m improving my 5k time and learning to make balloon animals/objects.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mrallanmaths I usually wear fun maths/science ties. One friday I wore a plain navy tie, and all day I had students & colleagues asking if I was alright. Everyone was very concerned (making it more embarrassing when I had to admit to spilling soup on all my other ties that week).

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@prog_head I once received a thank you card with more negatives than positives. It said I was the 3rd best maths teacher (but apparently my ranking would increase if I ‘wore cooler outfits’). And that they wish I ‘eventually find friends who aren’t maths teachers’.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@ShuchitaAmilah But sometimes it would be nice if someone told me I copied the question down wrong before I got to the end of the 12 marker. My students love sitting in silence, then saying ‘wasn’t it meant to be x²’ after 10 minutes of me frantically scribbling on the whiteboard.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mr_man_maths @AdamGoodridge18 It was really insightful to see the response from a usually shy and introverted student. I wish I would’ve known these things while I taught her. I don’t like knowing I could’ve done more to help, but I’m glad I’ll be able to fix it for future students.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mr_man_maths @AdamGoodridge18 I’ll also be ensuring every sheet/task comes with a when/if you finish extension. The same (very capable) student admitted she would purposely go slow, and distract her partner when the instruction was ‘do these questions, let me know if you finish’

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mr_man_maths @AdamGoodridge18 In response to that all of my homework sheets will consist of ukmt/Olympiad/step questions that are optional for students. I’ll collect it in and mark with the homework. I’ve done it occasionally over the past few years, I wasn’t sure if anyone was appreciating it until now.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@mr_man_maths @AdamGoodridge18 At the end of every academic year we send out a survey to get student input. One student asked for more optional challenge questions. She expressed that past papers and textbook questions were boring, and the only time she enjoys maths is when it’s challenging.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@WhistleblowingT In both situations the hug was unexpected, and initiated by the student. I was surprised, and stood there in shock with straight arms. But afterwards I was able to reciprocate their excitement. Hugging was their way of expressing emotion, and I was happy to witness their joy.

[Rick HT @RickysMaths]

@WhistleblowingT I’m a male secondary school maths teacher, so the opportunity for hugs rarely arises. Two situations come to mind- a student ran up to me and hugged me after getting an offer from her dream uni, and a student hugged me crying, thanking me, after getting an A* in her a level.