The IPAD changes the student/teacher dynamics to enable student-centered learning

Teacher/Student/IPAD partnership

The iPad is set to revolutionise education. In the next ten years everybody will have an iPad. It will change our lives in every area. This might sound like a sweeping statement but anyone who has worked intuitively with the iPad knows this.

How does the ipad do its magic? To learn successfully three key ingredients must be present. 
We know that learning has taken place when a student can demonstrate: 

Knowledge

Skills 

Attitude

The IPAD delivers all three simultaneously in droves. How?

One,  it has thousands of APPs in the app store which collectively cover almost every aspect of what we would want to learn. For example, take primary maths, take a simple skill like counting on. There are at least ten apps focusing on just this. Let your student try them. If he/she doesn't take to one, they can select another. They can try it out, practise their skills as often as they want, move on at their own pace. 

By taking command of their learning, using resources that work for them, they are motivated. The IPAD harnesses their natural desire to learn and improve.

Struggling Learners

For any learner who is unable to learn ‘conventionally’, the IPAD disintegrates any fear of failure. The IPAD is merely a vehicle for learning, it is not judgemental, it does not have an attitude as many teachers inevitably do however hard we try.

For students with attention deficit difficulties, it immediately gets them to focus and to concentrate.

Learning becomes exciting, challenging colourful and most important achievable achievable. Success become attainable. Self-belief grows by the minute...!

Right???….So we don't need teachers……..?

Happily, teachers are just as important as before but in a more highly evolved form. Firstly, teachers are liberated from preparing resources. The quality of resources combined with the sheer volume is so inspiring, teachers no longer have to spend hours digging out the right resource,  cutting and pasting or photocopying.

This is what teachers enabled do if they are using an iPad…….

They have the time and opportunity to truely engage with their students learning.

They have time to be in tune with their students thought processes. They observe the student learning and can pick up where difficulties lie and can help the student to unblock these difficulties.

They can discuss these thought processes with students and raise their awareness of what they are doing.

If one App is not working, they can almost instantaneously switch to another from the repertoire of apps that a teacher student has preselected for them.

The iPad takes the spotlight off the student, so to speak,  and he/she can focus on the task in hand and not worry about the teachers reaction. the teacher receded onto the background.

Students determine the pace not the teacher or other students.

Lastly, teacher is needed to steer the student through the course with input at the appropriate time.
Teachers can sit next to the student and go back t pen and paper to explain points the student is still struggling with.

In my next article I will give you an example of how I work with students.

If you are interested in anything I have discussed and have any questions please do contact me on primarymathsblog.wordpress.com

Maths and Memory

Help your Child to Shine in Maths

One of the key skills required to be good at Maths is a good working short term memory. For example, even to do such simple sums as 5x2x4 or 9+9+10 require us to hold numbers in our head while we are doing operations such as subtraction or addition etc.
Improving ones memory can be fun through memory games. Eg Fitbrains or Luminosity are popular apps used to help improve memory for adults and older children.
There are also apps specifically designed for younger children. These can be found in the App Store by searching under memory.(the most popular apps tend to rise to the top and are the ones that will come up first in your search).
By the age of seven a child should be able to commit to memory seven numbers and recite them back to you.
So don't forget to encourage your child to play games. Eg the shopping list game, card games. Take a visit to your local toy shop and see what you can find.

How to Get Involved with your childs education

TO ALL PARENTS: GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR CHILDS EDUCATION

BECOME A ROLE MODEL!

Showing an interest in your child's education gives it an important signal that you value education. Even if you didn't manage to do as well as you would have liked at school, by getting actively involved with supporting your child's education. you can help shape its future. Don't leave your childs education entirely in the hands of the school.

There are many different ways to show support for your child. Remember you are the most important role model that your child will ever meet. 
To show that you actively value education, why not join a class?
Choose whatever interests you e.g. you may want to improve your literacy and numeracy or a start a hobby such as flower arranging. Even if it is a couple of hours a week, your child will observe that one can learn whatever skill one wants to and that it doesnt matter what age you are.
You want to instil in them that education is a lifelong project!

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS ESPECIALLY IN THE EYES OF CHILDREN 

If you would like more tips on how to get involved with your child's education, click on the link below to view the BBC's webpage on getting involved.


GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR CHILDS EDUCATION

MATHS WORKBOOKS, IPAD, MATHS WEBSITES

Are Maths workbooks helpful for children for Key Stage 1 & 2?

Disadvantages

1. Children generally need much more practise than is given in workbooks.

2. Workbooks do not usually offer enough explanation of new concepts.

In both of these situations, internet Maths websites and iPad Apps apps win hands down. They offer limitless practise and also do an excellent job of giving children excellent explanations of different concepts. 

Advantages

1. However workbooks can be of great advantage if a child is preparing for an entrance exam and the workbook specifically targets this.

2. They are paper-based, more 'real' than working on the computer.

TES Resource Bank for Maths and other subjects- Finding the Right Worksheet

TES PRIMARY TEACHING RESOURCES BANK

Another great resource for parents is the TES resource Bank. The TES (Times Educational Supplement) has built up wonderful online resource bank of handouts and worksheets made by highly creative teachers.
These aren't just for teachers, anyone can use them. You don't need to be a teacher to be able to know how to use them.

This bank of materials can be be incredibly helpful for parents, children or tutors who want a worksheet on something that is highly specific or to explain something to a child or to gain more practice in a topic.
It is well worth checking this FREE resource whenever your child is feeling stuck with something.

http://www.tes.co.uk/primary-teaching-resources/

Can't afford the IPAD? Why not get the IPAD MINI?

IPAD MINI

The IPAD is an expensive piece of kit and not always affordable for the average parent. But by investing in an IPAD you are investing a great deal in your childrens future. Consider it a small investment compared to the cost of private tutoring. 
You can get good deals on refurbished iPads but if you want something brand new at a lower price why not go for the ipad mini?
The advantage of the IPAD mini is that it is a smaller, compact version of the iPad but a lot cheaper. It is easy to take on holiday and the kids can use it while going on long car journeys, waiting at airports etc. There are some fun maths games on it that will ensure that they are learning while they are playing. Though if the truth be told, a child finds the IPAD or IPAD mini fun however much maths it does on it!


Fun Maths Games for the IPAD Mini
1 Addition Wiz
2 Subtraction Wiz
3 Ladybird Maths
4 Number Lines
5Amazing Coins
6 Maths age 4-6
7 Maths Fractions Lite
8 Times Tables
9 Early Birds
10 Tick Tock

Maths and Literacy

 Maths and literacy go hand in hand. Give your children sums that are in writing  as opposed to numbers. Word problems are excellent for getting them thinking not only about maths but also builds their skills in reading, following instructions, understanding sequencing.

Here are some examples of word problems

1. John goes into a sweetshop and buys two lollies for 30p, 3 chocolate bars for a total of  £1.50. How much change does he get from a £5.00 note?

2. Sally is twice as tall as John. John is 50cms. How tall is Sally?

If you want some more word problems try:

http://uk.ixl.com/math/word-problems

HOW TO SELECT GREAT MATHS APPS FOR YOUR CHILD

Tips on How To Select Great Maths Apps For Your Child


It is not as difficult as you think to select a great Maths App for your child. Apple does give you a few helpful pointers along the way.

SELECT THE TOPIC 

1. Decide what topic your child needs to work on( you can tell this from how well they are doing at their homework. Or alternatively, select the topic your child has just studied that day at school eg fractions Key Stage 1 or number lines. 

TYPE INTO SEARCH BOX 

Type the chosen topic into the App stores search box and all the apps relevant to this topic will come up. Helpfully, the App store lists the most popular at the top, I usually go for these. There are reviews to help you choose. Most of them are free so you can go ahead and try a few and delete them until you find a couple that you are happy with. 

USE GENIUS

Genius is a great function on your IPAD as it remembers what you are searching for and provides you with a readymade selection of the most popular relevant apps to what you need. So don't forget to check it out when you are looking for Apps.



PLAY WITH THE APP

Once you have selected an App that you think will be helpful, (the best way is to download different apps and practise on them yourself and you will get an idea how your chid will respond to it).

DEMONSTRATE THE APP TO YOUR CHILD

 Demonstrate to your child how the activity or game works, play on it together rather than leaving your child to it. Once you are confident that they have got the hang of it just let them carry on.

Useful Maths Apps On the IPAD

1 Addition Wiz
2 Subtraction Wiz
3 Ladybird Maths
4 Number Lines
5Amazing Coins
6 Maths age 4-6
7 Maths Fractions Lite
8 Times Tables
9 Early Birds
10 Tick Tock

  

Top 5 Recommended Maths Websites

Maths Key Stage One

During Key Stage 1 pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activity, exploration and discussion. They learn to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond. They develop a range of mental calculation skills and use these confidently in different settings. They learn about shape and space through practical activity which builds on their understanding of their immediate environment. They begin to grasp mathematical language, using it to talk about their methods and explain their reasoning when solving problems.
If you can afford the IPAD, this allows children to cover a range of fun maths activities. It works well as there are no 'wrong' answers, just the opportunity to try again until you are successful. This builds confidence and is a great supplement to  classroom teaching and tutoring where there is often little time for practise and worksheets can quickly become tedious.

 

Recommended Websites for KS1 & KS2  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/

http://www.iXL.com

http://www.bond11plus.co.uk/

http://www.khanacademy.org

Find out exactly what is on the Curriculum by going to:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00199044/

IPAD APPS FOR MATHS

IPAD FOR MATHS

The IPAD is an excellent addition for learning in any home. It is particularly so for Maths. Children can practise basic numeracy skills in a fun way. A refurbished Ipad from the Apple store can be had for around £259. It comes with a one year Warranty. 
Using the iPad enables a student to learn what ever they want to learn. Simply go to the App store on the iPad and type in whatever your child needs to practise in the Search button. For example, they might need to practise addition, or fractions. There are enough free apps or Apps under a £1 to meet most primary school children needs.
If you have more than one child, then it is even easier for you to support your child with their homework as one can work on the Ipad while you are helping the other. 
Undoubtedly the Ipad will one of the most valuable educational tools that you can buy for your child.

                                           

Practical Maths Activities

Practical Maths Activities

There are lots of activities you can play at home to encourage your child to enjoy playing with numbers.
By playing these games, they will also be picking up a lot of other useful skills e.g. scanning, mental maths, social skills eg sharing, taking turns etc.

Here are a few examples:

Play 'shop' put prices on packets etc

Dominoes

Flash cards

Snap

Playing cards

Play games with dice

Snakes and ladders

HELP!! MATHS SATS ARE UPON US KS2

ITS NOT TOO LATE TO HELP YOUR CHILD

KS2 Sats are being taken all over the country this month(13th-17th May). How can you help your child prepare? Apart from not panicking, you could really help your child by printing out a couple of old SATS papers and going over them. Its time to forget homework, its time to PRACTISE. Old papers are available online at: 
http://emaths.co.uk/KS2SAT.htm

Use the following technique:

1. Work through a couple of papers taking your time and discussing it with your child to ensure that they understand the maths. You can do this  in a couple of sessions. You will be pleasantly surprised how easy you will find them yourself!

2 Take a break for a day or two. Then do a timed test. It doesn't matter if its the same paper. This time you are aiming for speed and accuracy.

3 Finally give lots of praise as encouragement as you push them out of the door!!

Does your child lack confidence in Maths?

It is not unusual for a child to lose confidence in doing maths at an early age. Here are a few simple steps to restore your child's confidence in its ability to understand maths.

1. Get your child/student to explain to you how they are working out their maths problem. This will give you the opportunity to get some clues as to how they think through the problems. 
By doing this you will be able to understand how to help them. Eg they may be missing out a step resulting in them getting the answer wrong. Or they may get stuck halfway in which case you can guide them to the end.
Always allow them to make an attempt first especially if they have done some work on this topic before.

2. Reassure them that they are many ways to find an answer to their problem, as long as they get there in the end. Once they have shown you the method they have used,praise them for using it and then offer another method of solving the same problem.
This will make maths fun for them, as you are now juggling or playing with numbers rather than focusing on getting it right or wrong which can be intimidating for a child.


3. Do not underestimate the power of knowing the times tables. Even if you child is ten or eleven and may have passed the stage of learning their times tables, if they don't know them ensure that they do learn them at home. This will SPEED up their ability to solve maths problems no end.
It will also give them the tools to solve problems on different ways.
It will dramatically increase their ability to do mental maths.
Give them a printout of the times tables to practise from. Teach them to look, cover and check. Ie look, then cover and recite and then if they stumble or get stuck flip their sheet/card over and check.
This way they do not feel that you are breathing down their neck or telling them off if they get it wrong.