Have we got it wrong about why children fail at mathematics?

5x5x5=creativity
Bristol, England
Education
$1,394
Raised of $4,000 Goal
35%
Ended on 1/07/17
Campaign Ended
  • $1,394
    pledged
  • 35%
    funded
  • Finished
    on 1/07/17

Methods

Summary

The project requires funding from January 2017 to September 2017. Up until July 2017, the project team will work once a week with the school that is the project site.

Alf Coles and Katherine Evans will be researching with the Grade 1 and 2 classes in the school and with their teachers. There will be planning meetings with those teachers on three occasions during the life of the project and Alf and Katherine will then visit, observe and Alf will sometimes teach in the Grade 1 and 2 classrooms from week to week. Field notes will be taken of every weekly session in the school classrooms and notes from the reflection meetings that follow. These notes capture both the activities offered the children and also the children's responses.

The children have been tested in November using a normalised assessment (providing a measure of their 'mathematical age'), giving a baseline and all children will be re-tested again on a normalised assessment, at the end of the school year (July 2017) and as part of the national assessments for the Grade 2 class (May 2017).

Challenges

One of the key challenges is that the project ambition is to provide children with an innovative curriculum that is different from current specifications. Sensitivity will be needed in working with staff and ensuring that the project team's support for the school is always aligned with the school's view of the best interests of their children.

Pre Analysis Plan

We will have quantitative data on the children's progress in mathematics, using standardised assessments. This will allow us to evaluate whether progress is, or is not, above expected for each student.

We will also have in depth qualitative data on particular students throughout the year, including photographs of their written work. This documentation will allow us to track in more detail the progress and achievements of students week to week throughout the time of the project.

Protocols

This project has not yet shared any protocols.