Ideas for revision and exams for teachers

This is a distillation of my presentations in November 2016 to the Maths in Action days run by The Training Partnership in London and Warwick. A student version is here.

 

KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Topic guide – issue it, refer to it, check understanding of it

Weak areas – individual/class, validity of homework vs classwork, support materials

Strong areas – individual/class, strengths give islands of confidence

 

PRACTISE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Best practice – use model answers, peer marking, test conditions, presentation

Quality vs quantity – variety of sources, breadth of tasks, multiple skills, options/extensions

Use support of when stuck – encourage good use of help, discourage copying, reward honesty, help your pupils to help themselves

 

USE WHAT YOU KNOW YOU KNOW

Do some maths – cue words, marks for follow-on errors, multi-task questions

Make best use of your time – mark schemes, ensure pupils have realistic expectations of topics and outcome, highlight standard errors, reward good exam technique: non-linear navigation, graphing/constructions for brain break, value of checking

 

RESOURCES

BBC Bitesize for GCSE – an oldy but goody

Khan Academy Math [US focus] – effectively GCSE and A level but with a US focus, lots of really good videos

SingingHedgehog – my website! Help pages and randomised worksheets with answers primarily KS3/4

The Student Room – Forums and support for GCSE and A level

Plus Magazine – Plus magazine aimed at 16+ students with articles and puzzles

nrich – weekly problems plus live puzzles to solve and explain upto A level. excellent scheme of work links for teachers

UKMT – Question of the day on twitter for GCSE and A level. Individual challenges, follow on rounds and team events. past papers full of good stuff can buy hard or electronic copies.

Manga High – compete against classmates and the world up to GCSE but good for core skills at A level, best if school registers

Hegarty Maths – online questions up to GCSE, needs the school to register and pay. Feedback to teacher looks really good.

My Maths – online questions for GCSE and A level, needs the school to register and pay.

Corbett Maths – GCSE and C1, daily 5 a day tasks plus many other good things

Mr Barton Maths – GCSE and A level, questions and videos and many other good things for students and teachers

Mr Carter Maths – GCSE comprehensive collection of differentiated tasks

Physics and Maths Tutor – collection of tiered A level papers

Tes Resources – GCSE and A level, a goldmine but needs time to find the nuggets

MEI – teacher resources and CPD for GCSE and A level, not just for their own schemes

FMSP Further Maths Support Programme – teacher resources and CPD for Further Maths

Underground Mathematics – brand new resource of rich tasks for A level from Cambridge University

Twitter – questions from @ukmt, @corbettmaths, teacher help from #mathschat, #mathscpdchat, @mathsjem, @nrich; random stuff from @singinghedgehog

Independent School 13+ 16+ Scholarships eg Oundle, KSC, Eton. Great source of sideways thinking problems

Geeky cartoons to enjoy:

XKCD – a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language

Spiked Math – a math comic dedicated to humor, educate and entertain the geek in you

SMBC – Saturday Morning Breakfast Club, cartoons about maths, science and life

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