CPD

Gender and mathematics: what can research tell us about how we teach mathematics to boys and girls?

Aim: The project had three quite distinct aims: 1) To identify from existing research literature what is known about gender differences in learning mathematics at secondary school - no attempt was made to establish any new insights; 2) To elicit, through interviews, the perceptions that a group of mathematics teachers had concerning the impact of gender on learning mathematics; and 3) To use the contrasts and similarities between the findings of the research and the outcomes of the interviews, as astimulus for the development of classroom teaching.

Using email to assist reading

Aim: 1) To see if computer-mediated communication between boys at two different schools can enhance the reading ability and interest of Year 9 boys with low reading levels. 2) To make use of the opportunities for anonymity which email offers in order to allow teachers to assume multiple roles in the teaching of literature.

Using a supportive mentoring to aid important action research

Aim: The primary aim of this project was to provide a supportive, pro-active and practical mentoring partnership in which individual teachers could conduct their independent action research. The results were actually far more significant than the original aim suggested and extended beyond the boundaries of the action research itself. Research mentoring led to tangible and long-term benefits both for our personal development and our professional development as teachers.

School Improvement: Developing and sustaining professional dialogue about teaching and learning

Aim: Our aim was to follow up six secondary schools that had been involved in the North East School Based Research Consortium (NESBRC), a collaborative partnership funded by the Teacher Training Agency/CfBT, which focused on generating evidence about teaching and learning and the impact on pupils achievements. The original partnership intended to develop approaches that were effective and could be embedded into the culture of the school after the NESBRC funding finished. We wanted to see what the schools were doing three years later.

Transition and beyond

Aim: The aims of this project were to create a smoother transition across key stages for teachers, pupils and parents, to improve collaboration across key stage transition and to develop teachers knowledge and understanding of each others curriculum/routines/events/lessons.