Interactive Maths - The Interactive Way to Teach Mathematics
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  • Number
    • Arithmetic >
      • The Four Operations >
        • The Four Operations (QQI)
        • The Four Operations (10QQI)
        • The Four Operations (QQI Count Down)
        • The Four Operations (QQI Relay)
        • The Four Operations (QQI BINGO)
        • The Four Operations (QQI Worksheets)
        • The Four Operations (Video)
        • Timestables Square (QQI)
        • Grid Multiplication (QQI)
      • Missing Numbers >
        • Missing Numbers (QQI)
        • Missing Numbers (10QQI)
        • Missing Numbers (QQI Count Down)
        • Missing Numbers (QQI Relay)
        • Missing Numbers (QQI BINGO)
        • Missing Numbers (QQI Worksheets)
      • Order of Operations >
        • Order of Operations (QQI)
        • Order of Operations (10QQI)
        • Order of Operations (QQI Count Down)
        • Order of Operations (QQI Relay)
        • Order of Operations (QQI BINGO)
        • Order of Operations (QQI Worksheets)
      • Powers of Ten >
        • Powers of Ten (QQI)
        • Powers of Ten (10QQI)
        • Powers of Ten (QQI Count Down)
        • Powers of Ten (QQI Relay)
        • Powers of Ten (QQI BINGO)
        • Powers of Ten (QQI Worksheets)
      • Decimal Operations >
        • Decimal Operations (QQI)
        • Decimal Operations (10QQI)
        • Decimal Operations (QQI Count Down)
        • Decimal Operations (QQI Relay)
        • Decimal Operations (QQI BINGO)
        • Decimal Operations (QQI Worksheets)
      • Rounding >
        • Rounding (QQI)
        • Rounding (10QQI)
        • Rounding (QQI Count Down)
        • Rounding (QQI Relay)
        • Rounding (QQI BINGO)
        • Rounding (QQI Worksheets)
      • Products and Sums (QQI)
      • Products and Sums (10QQI)
    • Fractions >
      • Cancelling Fractions >
        • Cancelling Fractions (QQI)
        • Cancelling Fractions (10QQI)
        • Cancelling Fractions (QQI Count Down)
        • Cancelling Fractions (QQI Relay)
        • Cancelling Fractions (QQI BINGO)
        • Cancelling Fractions (QQI Worksheets)
      • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions >
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (QQI)
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (10QQI)
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (QQI Count Down)
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (QQI Relay)
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (QQI BINGO)
        • Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (QQI Worksheets)
      • Fractions of Amounts >
        • Fractions of Amounts (QQI)
        • Fractions of Amounts (10QQI)
        • Fractions of Amounts (QQI Count Down)
        • Fractions of Amounts (QQI Relay)
        • Fractions of Amounts (QQI BINGO)
        • Fractions of Amounts (QQI Worksheets)
      • Fraction Arithmetic >
        • Fraction Arithmetic (QQI)
        • Fraction Arithmetic (10QQI)
        • Fraction Arithmetic (QQI Count Down)
        • Fraction Arithmetic (QQI Relay)
        • Fraction Arithmetic (QQI BINGO)
        • Fraction Arithmetic (QQI Worksheets)
    • FDP >
      • Fraction Decimal Conversions Drill
    • Percentages >
      • Percentages of Amounts >
        • Percentages of Amounts (QQI)
        • Percentages of Amounts (10QQI)
        • Percentages of Amounts (QQI Count Down)
        • Percentages of Amounts (QQI Relay)
        • Percentages of Amounts (QQI BINGO)
        • Percentages of Amounts (QQI Worksheets)
        • Percentage of Amounts (Video)
      • Writing Numbers as a Percentage >
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (QQI)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (10QQI)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (QQI Count Down)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (QQI Relay)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (QQI BINGO)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (QQI Worksheets)
        • Writing Numbers as a Percentage (Video)
      • Percentage Change >
        • Percentage Change (QQI)
        • Percentage Change (10QQI)
        • Percentage Change (QQI Count Down)
        • Percentage Change (QQI Relay)
        • Percentage Change (QQI Worksheets)
        • Percentage Change (Video)
      • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage >
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (QQI)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (10QQI)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (QQI Count Down)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (QQI Relay)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (QQI BINGO)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (QQI Worksheets)
        • Increase and Decrease by a Percentage (Video)
      • Compound Interest and Simple Interest >
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (QQI)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (10QQI)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (QQI Count Down)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (QQI Relay)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (QQI BINGO)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (QQI Worksheets)
        • Compound Interest and Simple Interest (Video)
      • Overall Percentage Change >
        • Overall Percentage Change (QQI)
        • Overall Percentage Change (10QQI)
        • Overall Percentage Change (QQI Count Down)
        • Overall Percentage Change (QQI Relay)
        • Overall Percentage Change (QQI BINGO)
        • Overall Percentage Change (QQI Worksheets)
      • Reverse Percentages >
        • Reverse Percentages (QQI)
        • Reverse Percentages (10QQI)
        • Reverse Percentages (QQI Count Down)
        • Reverse Percentages (QQI Relay)
        • Reverse Percentages (QQI BINGO)
        • Reverse Percentages (QQI Worksheets)
        • Reverse Percentages (Video)
      • Mixed Percentages >
        • Mixed Percentages (QQI)
        • Mixed Percentages (10QQI)
        • Mixed Percentages (QQI Count Down)
        • Mixed Percentages (QQI Relay)
        • Mixed Percentages (QQI BINGO)
        • Mixed Percentages (QQI Worksheets)
    • Factors and Multiples >
      • Number Properties (QQI)
      • Product of Primes >
        • Product of Primes (QQI)
        • Product of Primes (10QQI)
        • Product of Primes (QQI Count Down)
        • Product of Primes (QQI Relay)
        • Product of Primes (QQI BINGO)
        • Product of Primes (QQI Worksheets)
      • HCF and LCM >
        • HCF and LCM (QQI)
        • HCF and LCM (10QQI)
        • HCF and LCM (QQI Count Down)
        • HCF and LCM (QQI Relay)
        • HCF and LCM (QQI BINGO)
        • HCF and LCM (QQI Worksheets)
        • HCF and LCM (Video)
      • 100 Square Multiples (QQI)
      • 100 Square Types of Numbers (QQI)
    • Standard Form >
      • Standard Form Conversions >
        • Standard Form Conversions (QQI)
        • Standard Form Conversions (10QQI)
        • Standard Form Conversions (QQI Count Down)
        • Standard Form Conversions (QQI Relay)
        • Standard Form Conversions (QQI BINGO)
        • Standard Form Conversions 2 (QQI BINGO)
        • Standard Form Conversions (QQI Worksheets)
      • Standard Form Arithmetic >
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (QQI)
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (10QQI)
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (QQI Count Down)
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (QQI Relay)
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (QQI BINGO)
        • Standard Form Arithmetic (QQI Worksheets)
    • Ratio and Proportion >
      • Ratio (Video)
    • Surds >
      • Surds Activities >
        • Surds (QQI)
        • Surds (10QQI)
        • Surds (QQI Count Down)
        • Surds (QQI Relay)
        • Surds (QQI BINGO)
        • Surds (QQI Worksheets)
  • Algebra
    • Algebraic Manipulation >
      • Collecting Like Terms >
        • Collecting Like Terms (QQI)
        • Collecting Like Terms (10QQI)
        • Collecting Like Terms (QQI Count Down)
        • Collecting Like Terms (QQI Relay)
        • Collecting Like Terms (QQI BINGO)
        • Collecting Like Terms (QQI Worksheets)
      • Expanding Single Brackets >
        • Expanding Single Brackets (QQI)
        • Expanding Single Brackets (10QQI)
        • Expanding Single Brackets (QQI Count Down)
        • Expanding Single Brackets (QQI Relay)
        • Expanding Single Brackets (QQI BINGO)
        • Expanding Single Brackets (QQI Worksheets)
      • Factorising >
        • Factorising (QQI)
        • Factorising (10QQI)
        • Factorising (QQI Count Down)
        • Factorising (QQI Relay)
        • Factorising (QQI BINGO)
        • Factorising (QQI Worksheets)
      • Expanding Quadratic Brackets >
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (QQI)
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (10QQI)
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (QQI Count Down)
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (QQI Relay)
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (QQI BINGO)
        • Expanding Quadratic Brackets (QQI Worksheets)
      • Factorising Quadratics >
        • Factorising Quadratics (QQI)
        • Factorising Quadratics (10QQI)
        • Factorising Quadratics (QQI Count Down)
        • Factorising Quadratics (QQI Relay)
        • Factorising Quadratics (QQI BINGO)
        • Factorising Quadratics (QQI Worksheets)
        • Factorising Quadratic Expressions (Video)
        • Factorising Four Term Expressions (Video)
      • Indices >
        • Indices (QQI)
        • Indices (10QQI)
        • Indices (QQI Count Down)
        • Indices (QQI Relay)
        • Indices (QQI BINGO)
        • Indices (QQI Worksheets)
      • Completing the Square >
        • Completing the Square (QQI)
        • Completing the Square (10QQI)
        • Completing the Square (QQI Count Down)
        • Completing the Square (QQI Relay)
        • Completing the Square (QQI BINGO)
        • Completing the Square 2 (QQI BINGO)
        • Completing the Square (QQI Worksheets)
      • Algebraic Fractions >
        • Simplifying Algebraic Fractions (Video)
        • Adding and Subtracting Algebraic Fractions (Video)
        • Multiplying and Dividing Algebraic Fractions (Video)
    • Coordinates >
      • Coordinates (GGB)
      • Coordinate Battleship First Quadrant (GGB)
      • Coordinate Battleship All Four Quadrants (GGB)
      • 3D Coordinates (AGG)
    • Equations >
      • Linear Equations >
        • Solving Linear Equations >
          • Solving Linear Equations (QQI)
          • Solving Linear Equations (10QQI)
          • Solving Linear Equations (QQI Count Down)
          • Solving Linear Equations (QQI Relay)
          • Solving Linear Equations (QQI BINGO)
          • Solving Linear Equations (QQI Worksheets)
        • Solving Equations with Algebraic Fractions (Video)
      • Quadratic Equations >
        • Solving Quadratic Equations >
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (QQI)
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (10QQI)
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (QQI Count Down)
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (QQI Relay)
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (QQI BINGO)
          • Solving Quadratic Equations (QQI Worksheets)
        • Solving Quadratic Equations by Factorising (Video)
        • The Quadratic Formula (Video)
        • Problems Involving Quadratic Equations (Video)
      • Simultaneous Equations >
        • Solving Simultaneous Equations >
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (10QQI)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI Count Down)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI Relay)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI Relay Fixed)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI BINGO)
          • Solving Simultaneous Equations (QQI Worksheets)
        • Solving Simultaneous Equations Graphically (Video)
        • Simultaneous Equations by Substitution (Video)
        • Simultaneous Equations by Elimination (Video)
        • Simultaneous Equations - One Non-Linear (Video)
    • Sequences >
      • Sequences Activity (QQI)
      • Sequences Activities >
        • Sequences (QQI)
        • Sequences (10QQI)
        • Sequences (QQI Count Down)
        • Sequences (QQI Relay)
        • Sequences (QQI BINGO)
        • Sequences (QQI Worksheets)
      • Generating Sequences (Video)
      • General Term for Linear Sequences (Video)
      • Simple Quadratic Sequences (Video)
      • General Term for Quadratic Sequences (Video)
      • General Term for Cubic Sequences (Video)
      • Geometric Sequences (Video)
      • Common Differences (QQI)
    • Graphs >
      • Straight Line Graphs >
        • Drawing Straight Line Graphs (GGB)
        • Gradient of a Line (GGB)
        • Gradient of a Line 2 (GGB)
        • Parallel Lines (GGB)
        • Perpendicular Lines (GGB)
        • y = mx + c Activity (GGB)
        • Battleships 1 (AGG)
        • Battleships 2 (AGG)
        • Battleships 3 (AGG)
        • Find the Lines 1 (AGG)
        • Regions in Graphs (Video)
      • Non-Linear Graphs >
        • Drawing Curves (GGB)
        • Quadratic Graphs Activity (GGB)
        • Finding Quadratic Functions (Video)
      • Graphs with a Casio GDC (Video)
    • Graph Transformations >
      • Graph Transformations 1 (GGB)
      • Graph Transformations 2 (GGB)
      • Graph Transformations 3 (GGB)
      • Graph Transformations 4 (GGB)
      • Graph Transformations 5 (GGB)
      • Graph Transformations 6 (GGB)
    • Functions >
      • Functions Introductions (Video)
      • Function Graphs and Important Points (Video)
      • Solving Unfamiliar Equations Using Functions (Video)
      • Function Notation Revision (Video)
      • Composite Functions (Video)
      • Inverse Functions (Video)
  • Shape
    • Symmetry >
      • Reflection Symmetry >
        • Reflection Symmetry in Quadrilaterals (GGB)
        • Reflection Symmetry in Triangles (GGB)
        • Reflection Symmetry in Other Shapes (GGB)
      • Rotational Symmetry >
        • Rotational Symmetry in Quadrilaterals (GGB)
        • Rotational Symmetry in Triangles (GGB)
        • Rotational Symmetry in Other Shapes (GGB)
    • Area and Perimeter >
      • Polygons >
        • Perimeters (GGB)
        • Area of a Triangle (GGB)
        • Area of a Parallelogram (GGB)
        • Area of a Trapezium (GGB)
        • Area of Compound Shapes (GGB)
        • Perimeter and Area (GGB)
      • Circles >
        • Discovering Pi (GGB)
        • Circumference of a Circle (GGB)
        • Area of a Circle (GGB)
        • Running Tracks (GGB)
        • Circle Area Problem (GGB)
        • Circles and Squares (GGB)
      • Area (QQI)
      • Area (10QQI)
      • Tilted Squares (GGB)
      • Difference Between Two Squares (GGB)
    • Volume and Surface Area >
      • Volumes and Surface Areas (QQI)
      • Volumes and Surface Areas (10QQI)
    • Angles >
      • Guess the Angle (GGB)
      • Angles on a Straight Line (GGB)
      • Angles around a Point (GGB)
      • Angles in a Triangle (GGB)
      • Angles in a Quadrilateral (GGB)
      • Angles in a Regular Polygon (GGB)
      • Angles on Parallel Lines (GGB)
      • Striping Angles (GGB)
    • Transformations >
      • Reflection >
        • Reflections (GGB)
        • Reflection Challenge (GGB)
      • Rotation >
        • Rotations (GGB)
        • Rotation Challenge (GGB)
      • Translation >
        • Translations (GGB)
        • Translation Challenge (GGB)
      • Enlargement >
        • Enlargements (GGB)
        • Enlargement Challenge (GGB)
        • Other Scale Factors (GGB)
      • Challenges >
        • Which Transformation (GGB)
        • How Many Transformations (GGB)
        • Find Them All (AGG)
        • Ultimate Challenge (GGB)
      • Matrix Transformations (AGG)
    • Pythagoras Theorem >
      • Pythagoras Theorem Activities >
        • Pythagoras Theorem (QQI)
        • Pythagoras Theorem (10QQI)
        • Pythagoras Theorem (QQI Count Down)
        • Pythagoras Theorem (QQI Relay)
        • Pythagoras Theorem (QQI BINGO)
        • Pythagoras Theorem (QQI Worksheets)
      • Pythagoras Theorem (GGB)
      • Pythagorean Triples (GGB)
      • Pythagoras Proof (GGB)
      • Ladders up Walls (GGB)
      • Pythagoras in 3D (GGB)
      • Finding the Hypotenuse Example (Video)
      • Finding a Shorter Side Example (Video)
    • Trigonometry >
      • Right Angled Trigonometry >
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (QQI)
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (10QQI)
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (QQI Count Down)
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (QQI Relay)
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (QQI BINGO)
        • Right Angled Trigonometry (QQI Worksheets)
        • Discovering Trig Ratios (GGB)
        • Finding Lengths (GGB)
        • Finding Missing Lengths (Video)
        • Finding Missing Angles (Video)
      • Sine Rule (Video)
      • Cosine Rule (Video)
      • Sine and Cosine Rules (Video)
    • Circle Theorems >
      • Angle in the Centre vs Angle at the Circumference (GGB)
      • Angle at the Centre vs Angle at the Circumference (Video)
      • Angles in a Semicircle (GGB)
      • Angle in a Semicircle (Video)
      • Angles in Cyclic Quadrilaterals (GGB)
      • Angles in a Cyclic Quadrilateral (Video)
      • Angles in the Same Segment (GGB)
      • Angles in the Same Segment (Video)
      • Tangents (GGB)
      • Tangents (Video)
      • Alternate Segment Theorem (GGB)
      • Intersecting Tangents (GGB)
      • Intersecting Tangents (Video)
      • Intersecting Chords (GGB)
    • Vectors >
      • Vectors and Scalars (Video)
      • Vector Notation (Video)
      • Resultant Vectors (Video)
      • Resultants of Column Vectors (Video)
      • Scalar Multiplication (Video)
      • Magnitude of a Vector (Video)
    • Miscellaneous >
      • Squares (GGB)
      • Tangrams (GGB)
      • Euler Line (GGB)
      • Geoboards
  • Statistics
    • Probability >
      • Probability (QQI)
      • Probability (10QQI)
      • Probability Tools (Flash)
    • Averages >
      • Averages Activity (QQI)
      • Listed Averages >
        • Listed Averages (QQI)
        • Listed Averages (10QQI)
        • Listed Averages (QQI Count Down)
        • Listed Averages (QQI Relay)
        • Listed Averages (QQI BINGO)
        • Listed Averages (QQI Worksheets)
        • Averages From Lists of Data (Video)
        • Quartiles and Interquartile Range (Video)
      • Averages from Frequency Tables >
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (QQI)
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (10QQI)
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (QQI Count Down)
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (QQI Relay)
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (QQI BINGO)
        • Averages from Frequency Tables (QQI Worksheets)
        • Averages From Frequency Tables (Video)
        • Averages From Grouped Frequency Tables (Video)
      • Averages With A GDC (Video)
    • Statistical Diagrams >
      • Cumulative Frequency (Video)
      • Scatter Graphs and the Mean Point (Video)
      • Scatter Graphs and Linear Regression on a GDC (Video)
      • Correlation and the Correlation Coefficient on a GDC (Video)
  • Post 16 Topics
    • Binomial Expansion >
      • Binomial Expansion (Video)
      • Binomial Theorem (Video)
      • Binomial Coefficients (Video)
      • Binomial Applications (Video)
    • Coordinate Geometry >
      • Coordinate Geometry (QQI)
      • Coordinate Geometry (10QQI)
      • Equation of a Circle (AGG)
    • Differentiation >
      • Differentiating Polynomials >
        • Differentiating Polynomials (QQI)
        • Differentiating Polynomials (10QQI)
        • Differentiating Polynomials (QQI Count Down)
        • Differentiating Polynomials (QQI Relay)
        • Differentiating Polynomials (QQI BINGO)
        • Differentiating Polynomials (QQI Worksheets)
      • Finding Gradients of Curves (QQI)
      • Finding Gradients of Curves (10QQI)
      • Finding Turning Points of Curves (QQI)
      • Finding Turning Points of Curves (10QQI)
    • Trigonometry >
      • Radian and Degree Conversions >
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (QQI)
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (10QQI)
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (QQI Count Down)
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (QQI Relay)
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (QQI BINGO)
        • Radian and Degree Conversions (QQI Worksheets)
      • Trigonometric Exact Values >
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (QQI)
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (10QQI)
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (QQI Count Down)
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (QQI Relay)
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (QQI BINGO)
        • Trigonometric Exact Values (QQI Worksheets)
      • Graphs of Trig Functions (GGB)
  • Starters, Puzzles and Enrichment
    • UKMT Random Question Generator
    • @mathschallenge Random Questions
    • School of Hard Sums Random Questions
    • Random Starter of the Day
    • Mathematically Possible (QQI Starter)
    • Adding Challenge (QQI Starter)
    • Date Starter (QQI Starter)
    • Name That Number (QQI Starter)
    • Matchstick Random Questions
    • Choose 3 Numbers (QQI Starter)
    • What's The Question (QQI Starter)
    • Mathematical Words (QQI Starter)
    • Number of the Day (QQI Starter)
    • Anagrams and Missing Vowels (QQI Starter)
    • Missing Vowels and Word Jumbles (QQI) >
      • Missing Vowels and Word Jumbles Simple Numbers (QQI)
    • Tables (QQI)
    • Target Boards (QQI)
    • Missing Signs (QQI)
    • Random Activities >
      • Exploding Dots
      • Easter Date
      • Easter Tangrams (GGB)
      • Zeller's Algorithm
      • Batman Equation (AGG)
      • Templates
    • Mathematical Videos >
      • Fermat's Last Theorem (Video)
      • Pi Song (Video)
      • Monty Hall Problem (Video)
      • Symmetry, Reality's Riddle (Video)
      • Music of the Primes (Video)
      • Folding Paper (Video)
      • Nature by Numbers (Video)
      • Inspirations (Video)

Online Live Teaching

3/5/2020

0 Comments

 
There has been plenty of debate on twitter the last few days over the effectiveness of teaching live online lessons vs setting work for students to complete in their own time. In other words, whether we should be teaching in a syncronous or asynchronous way in the current school closures.
Mark Enser goes into detail of why he thinks the asynchronous model is a better approach here as a response to some rather antagonistic tweets from a former Schools Minister. Enser accepts that different circumstances will mean that each model will be more effective in different situations. At the end of the post he asks for anyone who has been teaching live online lessons to share how they have made it successful, so that is my plan for this post.
My situation
First I want to state that I know that what I am doing would not work for everybody. Even those in a similar school situation have different home lives. I am not sharing this to say others should follow my lead, but rather that here are some things that have worked for me.
At the start of the lockdown I posted a blog with 5 tips. I stand by those now, though there are certainly things I might add!
As I write this we have been doing online teaching for 7.5 weeks since the schools were closed here in Peru. This started 1.5 weeks into our new school year. We are currently on a week's break before starting the second term of 9 weeks which will be done online too. It is very possible we do not return to school premises until 2021.
I mention this to make it clear that we are in this position for the long term, and so suggestions of just reviewing and mastering content students have already studied are not appropriate for us.
I work in a private school. This brings two things into the mix. Firstly, our students largely have their own devices (year 9 upwards all have laptops in school normally, and years 7 and 8 use them in certain lessons, so most also have their own) and Internet connections are not an issue (well, no more than are usually an issue here). Secondly, our salaries are dependent on parents continuing to pay the fees, and so there has to be a large element of 'pleasing the customer' at this time (more so than usual).
In terms of my technology I have a work laptop which I am using for the Zoom call, and then have my personal laptop set up beside this so I can do registers, see classkick progress, view the worksheet without having to jump between tabs on the work laptop. This has been an incredibly important part of my work flow solution.
Working at a private international school also has an impact on the number of periods we teach. We have 40 minute lessons and there are 40 periods a week. The maximum teaching load is 28, and most do not have more than 25/26. I also have a post of responsibility so have a lighter timetable.
I have a two and a half year old at home. He has not been able to leave the house for 7 weeks and is going stir crazy because of it. But fortunately my wife stopped working when he was born, and so she is taking the brunt of looking after him. Of course, he doesn't completely understand and finds it hard for me to be at home and not be able to see me, and this does lead to some interruptions.
But my school have been incredibly understanding of home situations from the outset. We are sticking to the normal timetable, and the only requirements on staff have been that they must have at least one live sessions with each class each week, and they should be available during timetabled class periods, but this can be via email/Google Classroom.
So given that many of the practical problems with live teaching are not an issue for me, I have decided (as have our whole Mathematics department) to teach all lessons live through Zoom.
What I am doing
This year I am teaching two year 7 classes, a year 12 IB standard level class and a year 13 IB Higher Level class. I have taken a different approach with the different age groups, but I do a Zoom lesson every period.
With the IB classes I have broadly followed what I do in school normally. As we are working towards and external qualification, there is an element of needing to cover the content, and this is taking a little longer than it normally would. I have cut the retrieval starters down for this reason, doing one question in single periods, and then following the Spacing Concepts I started this year in the double period.
In terms of the rest of the lesson, I am still using the lesson sheets I produce for IB classes. Students either print these or have them open of their screens and write in an exercise book if they have no printer. I do not have a printer at home, so I am writing in an exercise book.
I use my visualiser and screen share with the class my book, and work through examples as I do in class. Sometimes I will bring out a mini whiteboard under the visualiser to answer tangentially questions. Then students do a your turn. Where in class I can wander around to see their work, in Zoom I am making more use of cold calling students to talk through their entire solution, and asking if anybody did it differently. For shorter questions I get them all to type their answer in the chat function on Zoom, which I have set so that only I see their responses.
I am more reliant on them asking for help than I would like, but it seems to have worked well, as the quieter students are asking through the chat.
After some input, they generally work on some independent practice. I am making use of Classkick (I made this guide for our staff) and Desmos activities which both allow me to see student responses, but mainly for IB they have questions to do from the textbook, which have answers they can check. One of the mistakes I made early on was not ensuring they knew where the answers were, but now they are in the habit of checking themselves.
Keeping them on the Zoom call but muted has become the norm here. This was a request from the students who said they were too easily distracted working in their rooms without it. This also enables them to ask questions if they get stuck, and sometimes I will put them in a Breakout Room to discuss it with somebody else from the class.
With my year 7 classes I am taking a different approach. I am uploading a presentation to Classkick, and producing an assignment in Classkick for each lesson (labelled week 7 lesson 3 etc). The first slide is the starter activity which is Numeracy Ninjas. I have found this more important for the younger students as they arrive to the Zoom call in dribs and drabs, and this gives them something to do straight away. One benefit of Classkick is that I set it to mark automatically after 5 minutes.
After this I will usually introduce the idea for today's lesson through an example. I have mostly been doing this by editing the Classkick assignment live. If they are on the page they see my edits appear immediately. I then talk through these on the Zoom call. Whilst doing this I lock the assignment in Classkick so they cannot edit it. Then they do some practice. This will probably involve some your turns first which I check before they can move on to the main exercise (in Classkick they can call me to check their work). The main exercise is from the White Rose Maths resources (we changed our scheme of work to theirs this year), and I have set it to self mark where possible. I then keep a view of the whole classes work and can see their work live. I will check questions that can't be self checked (written answers) and answer questions which they can ask through Zoom or Classkick.
Some concluding thoughts
Some of the benefits of doing lessons live have been:
  • Less work out of class as I do not have to mark every piece of work submitted. I can keep on top of this during class time like I would in school.
  • Students can ask questions when they are stuck or unsure, like they would in class.
  • I can monitor misconceptions more easily and address them earlier, through classkick and targeted cold calling. Again, more like being in school.
  • The social aspect for our kids is important. They have not been able to leave their houses for 7 weeks now, so the normality of school and social interactions is really important.
  • The kids and parents have asked for it. I have sent a couple of emails to parents explaining my process at this time. I have also sent a survey to kids and their parents. My school is doing the same on a whole school level. In all cases, the majority want Zoom classes if possible.

As I said at the start, I am not saying anybody else should go down this route, and I accept that the practical limitations could get in the way of this being a reality for many teachers. But I have found a way to make it work for me, and I feel like I am able to meet the learning objectives for the students this way in a more effective way than through an asynchronous model.
The biggest problem with online teaching (in either model) is checking for student understanding at the time of input. Through Classkick, questions and answers through Zoom chat and cold calling explanations of answers I think I have managed to make a good stab at being able to do this fairly effectively.
I would love to hear how other teachers are managing this type of teaching? What were the problems and how did you overcome them? What are your top tips?
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    Dan Rodriguez-Clark

    I am a maths teacher looking to share good ideas for use in the classroom, with a current interest in integrating educational research into my practice.

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