A recurring theme at the start of each year, is my learners total disbelief in their ability to be successful in maths, let alone enjoy learning maths. With that message playing in their minds year in and year out for most of their schooling lives, it is no wonder they switch off as soon as they enter a maths room.
Over the years, I have tried a variety of strategies to persuade these impressionable minds and after a comment from one of my learners, I thought it was worth sharing.....it is based on sound, look and feel.
SOUND - When I hear a learner verbalise their thinking, explain a concept to a peer or even ask a question, I will respond by calling out the learner's name and saying, "this is what success sounds like, thank you". "I love it when smart students make smart choices". On the other hand, off-task chatter gets a response of, "this is not what success sounds like"...."it saddens me when smart students make poor choices" and it seems to work every single time as learners soon get back to the task at hand.
LOOK - When everyone is on task and engaging with their learning, I will comment loudly enough for all to hear, hopefully without disrupting the learning environment, "this is what success looks like, thank you"....."I love it when smart students make smart choices".
FEEL - When a learner has completed a series of learning activities, requests feedback or suggests their confidence to sit a practice assessment, I comment "this is what success feels like"....."I love it when smart students make smart choices".
One of my learners went back to their previous high school to tell their maths teacher that since leaving their school, he is now smart in maths and went on to share his success at getting NCEA L1. His version of events is that his teacher did not believe him but he was ok with it because he knows that he is smart.
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