Paying teachers to be innovators

It was the 1960s. The inspectors expected us to teach to the curriculum and to employ a modest range of acceptable pedagogical methods. That's the aspect of maths teaching I now regard as worrisome. On the other hand, Martin, our maths coordinator encouraged us to be inventive. That's the aspect of teaching of which I am proud.

One of my classes was Year 9, the testosterone years. They were the weakest group and had a maths age of about Grade 2. There was absolutely no point adding to their confusion by filling them up with abstract algebra and geometry, which demanded a solid foundation.

I discovered that most of my students did not understand the concept of numbers, let alone more complicated mathematical ideas. I remembered my automatic knowledge of basic arithmetic was learned by playing cards from about the age of two with my parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

So we trialed snap, poker, twenty-one, gin rummy and euchre. They quickly caught on and learned a a whole bunch of other mathematical ideas such as sets (Spades, Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds), series (1,2,3. etc.), variables (wild cards which can be another card) and probability, such as turning up a specific card (1 chance in 52 less the number of cards dealt). And they had a lot of fun!

Since then I have had the pleasure to work with Ian, a brilliant maths teacher at a secondary school in the North of England. He routinely asks his students to scour the web and find fun simulations and images around which they can design and facilitate their own learning activities. It takes just one year for the students to learn to think and work like mathematicians, by discussing the meaning of mathematical concepts, and exploring how they can be applied to real world situations. In the maths class, they stay on task for hours, help/lead/coach each other and are confident, because they learn about/discover how they learn. When they go to other classes, they return to being feral.

So teachers, let's innovate, with the help of the customer. Let try new tools/methods/approaches in the classroom and encourage students to do the same, and in the process devise new ways of learning. And for both students and teachers to be researchers, to establish which methods work best. And why not pay teachers to be innovators, so that's what we focus on? Constant improvement!

So here's a workshop to conduct with students on pedagogical innovation:

1. Brainstorm a list of tools/technologies/methods that we do not currently use in the classroom, and why we you don't use them e.g. twitter....
2. Choose one of the list of tools/technologies/methods you currently do not use in the classroom and explain how you could use it for a highly engaging/interesting learning activity.
3. How could student become the designers and facilitators of their own learning activities? Give some examples of things to do.
4. How could students measure/evaluate new teaching/learning methods so they have greater responsibility for their own learning performance improvement? Give examples of things to do.
5. Devise a scheme that pays teachers to be innovators, and constantly improve learning performance, student engagement and enjoyment.