[Maths-Education] Draft Key Stage 3 Framework for teaching mathematics

[Jim D.N. SMITH(EDS)]

In relation to draft Key Stage 3 Framework for Teaching Mathematics.

In broad terms I welcome the introduction of this framework.  In my
previous role as head of mathematics department, I might well have found
the framework rather restrictive, and regarded it as undermining my
professional autonomy.  However, in my role as subject leader for a PGCE
secondary maths course I can see many benefits for initial trainees in the
framework.  For example, two weeks ago I asked the students on our current
course to bring in schemes of work from their placement schools.  These
were enormously varied, and some of them were of an exceptionally high
standard.  Unfortunately, some of them were not and relied overmuch upon
published textbooks.  In one case there simply was no scheme of work
available to student teacher as the department was in the process of
changing from one textbook to another.

I look forward to being able next year to introducing the framework.  I
should be able to tell students that host departments in schools will
either be working to the framework very closely, or have developed their
own ideas within the framework, or be elaborating and extending the
framework. 

I also welcome the general emphasis on direct teaching, and upon engaging
the class in purposeful discussion and fruitful activity.

My only concern remains the worry that by using the framework to raise
standards of the weakest departments, we may unnecessarily restrict the
professional autonomy of high achieving mathematics teachers. In the
long-term, this may make the job less attractive to high-quality recruits.


Jim D N Smith BSc MEd BA
Mathematics Education Centre
School of Education
Sheffield Hallam University
36 Collegiate Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2BP

http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/ed/teaching/dns/
http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/ed/centres/ma.html

0114 225 2349 desk
0114 225 2339 fax

d.n.smith@shu.ac.uk

Common-sense is unexamined theory.