What happens when we change the question from “What’s for homework?” to “What are my goals?”
Grade 9 Mathematics can be a difficult course for many new high school learners. Its diverse and deep curricular outcomes can make it challenging for learners who have experienced any sort of disruption to their education or who struggle with test anxiety. Other learners who enjoy fluent numeracy can feel held back and bored in the same classroom in which their peers keep falling farther behind. Learners experiencing some form of these concerns required a different pedagogical approach. They needed a way to weigh their options and make decisions based on their learning strengths. The driving questions became, “What are my future math goals?” and “What path is the best way for me to achieve them?”
Learning from a set of teacher-made math videos, learners worked through the curriculum at their own pace, focusing on those skills that were beneficial to the next step of their learning. The teacher created practice opportunities using online learning environments and/or textbook resources based on the learning preferences of each learner. At the end of each topic, the teacher or learner initiated a mastery check in a one-on-one setting with a teacher in the classroom. These mastery checks allowed learners to find their own mistakes and reflect on their mathematical thinking. In evaluating their own work together with the teacher, they were able to ask questions relevant to the learning and ask clarifying questions to fill gaps in their numeracy. This created flexibility to reconsider incorrect mathematical thinking and a level of comfort began to happen with mistakes. For learners who understood the concept well, enrichment conversations occurred before moving onto the next topic.
At the end of each unit or outcome cluster, each learner took a test to evaluate their understanding. The teacher provided explicit learning about test taking, and resources were provided for each test, based on the learning goals for the next year. If the learners knew they were going to take Essential Mathematics, they could make a study sheet to take into the test with them, as these resources would be available to them in future years. If learners’ goal the next year was to take the Grade 10 Introduction to Applied and Pre-Calculus course, then they developed a formula sheet for the test to mimic the assessment practices of that math stream.
As the course was self-paced, the important question shifted from “Do I have any homework?” to “Am I on pace to achieve my goals for next year?” Goal setting and reflecting on one’s thinking and learning was of utmost importance to the process. This came in the forms of both long- and short-range planning using digital and paper resources. Between the mastery checks, conversations with the learners, and the tests, the teacher was able to evaluate the learners’ understanding of the outcomes and help them to set goals for their next steps.
The environment in the classroom was a quiet buzz. Each day, the teacher encouraged the learners to make a plan for the class, specifically for their learning goals. Each learner set a daily goal based on their overall goals: they could watch a video lesson, practise independently, work in pairs or small groups to figure out a problem, or meet with the teacher for a mastery check or test.
With this approach, time constraints became less problematic, as the learners were operating at an individualized pace to meet their individual learning goals. Each learner in the class had a different path to complete the Grade 9 Mathematics curriculum, speeding up or slowing down where necessary, and tailored to their own goals and learning needs. Not only did they learn math, but they learned how to self-regulate, reflect, set goals, and embrace their own role in their learning.
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