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15 million adults in England alone struggle with maths, why is this and how can teachers and parents change that with the next generation? This is a pratical explanation of what has gone wrong and a positive approach to improving how students of all abilities can learn mathematics.
A NEW EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL BESTSELLER 'Well-researched and provides positive solutions' Times Educational Supplement In The Elephant in the Classroom, Jo Boaler outlines what has gone wrong in mathematics education, identifying the problems facing children in classrooms today. How can children be prepared for the mathematics they will need in the future? They need to be taught to be quantitatively literate, to think flexibly and creatively and how to problem solve. Jo Boaler offers concrete solutions for parents and teachers that will revolutionise children's experience with maths. Along with practical teaching activities, strategies and questions that can transform a child's mathematical future, she shares a range of free and accessible online resources. 'Has attracted an enthusiastic and vocal fan club among mums, dads and professionals' Daily Telegraph
Elephant in the Classroom is an exploration of the vast complexity of teaching as it is described by research and experienced by teachers. The reality of a job so vital to the proper functioning of a society should not be as mysterious as teaching continues to be. This book takes readers on a guided tour of 13 competencies and practices that are a critical part of teaching.
So, the other day, I was talking with Ashley toward the end of class and mentioned she’d been absent a lot, so I asked if she had been ill. She said, “No. We’ve been getting the place ready for my parents. They’re coming home.” “Really?” I was a bit puzzled. “Yeah,” she said, “I pick dad up from prison on Monday and mom on Wednesday.” When a kid walks into class, he or she is carrying baggage. This is the reality: The most important thing for teachers to teach kids is that learning is fun and that they can do it. If they don’t learn this, it doesn’t matter what else is taught. Someone Else’s Problem just walked in your classroom (With apologies to Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy). They don’t cover this kind of thing in education classes in college, and they also don’t tell you about students coming to school hungry for food or love. To assume that your job as a teacher is just to teach subject matter is like a blind man describing an elephant. The Elephant in the Classroom was walking the halls of Columbine.
The Elephants in the Classroom talks directly to parents and teachers, providing a much-needed new perspective on the explosion of learning difficulties in our classrooms... and empowering them, with simple skills, to make many aspects of learning easier. Complementing Bridges to Success, this book explains how unlocking the use of mental imagery in a child's thinking can enable them to maximise their learning experiences. The challenges faced by neurodivergent thinkers and learners (for example, those with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Asperger's and Autism) in today's conventional teaching settings could be addressed by a better understanding of how students learn visually. This book explores how some of the most talented creative children, with unrecognised and tremendous potential, can be the ones who struggle most in school. Hundreds of thousands of children are growing up, plagued by poor literacy, poor numeracy, the inability to concentrate, sensory overload and other problems that hold them back and may seriously affect their behaviour. Although committed to multi-sensory teaching and learning, schools often don't know how students employ the critical thinking skills of mental imagery - this is visual learning. The Elephants in the Classroom explains how these students, often with gifted with exceptional creative skills, can learn to control their mental images to make learning easier. Visual learning skills can be explored by parents at any age and easily taught, especially in primary school. Slightly adjusting how we educate children will allow them to maximise their learning experience. Although mental imagery is a natural skill for everyone, its contribution to learning is often overlooked.
Elephant in the Classroom shines a light on the issues faced by students who find school isolating and a challenge to their ability to learn and make friends. Young Sophie finds her school environment difficult to cope with. There’s so much for her to try to remember, with all the rules and expectations and the noise adding to her sense of insecurity. Sophie is typical of children who find it a struggle just to get to school and stay there. This book provides a resource to help teachers, health professionals and families remove the stumbling blocks that discourage children like Sophie from thriving in school. The story is also about friendship, and Sophie and Oliver’s relationship highlights the importance of fostering empathy and kindness in young children. Oliver is a friend to Sophie when she needs it most and this shows the power of connection and caring for and including others. The beautiful artwork that Sophie’s class composes acts as a reminder that everyone has something special to contribute and that beauty and friendship can emerge when we work together.
The Elephants in the Classroom talks directly to parents and teachers, providing a much-needed new perspective on the explosion of learning difficulties in our classrooms... and empowering them, with simple skills, to make many aspects of learning easier. Complementing Bridges to Success, this book explains how unlocking the use of mental imagery in a child's thinking can enable them to maximise their learning experiences. The challenges faced by neurodivergent thinkers and learners (for example, those with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Asperger's and Autism) in today's conventional teaching settings could be addressed by a better understanding of how students learn visually. This book explores how some of the most talented creative children, with unrecognised and tremendous potential, can be the ones who struggle most in school. Hundreds of thousands of children are growing up, plagued by poor literacy, poor numeracy, the inability to concentrate, sensory overload and other problems that hold them back and may seriously affect their behaviour. Although committed to multi-sensory teaching and learning, schools often don't know how students employ the critical thinking skills of mental imagery - this is visual learning. The Elephants in the Classroom explains how these students, often with gifted with exceptional creative skills, can learn to control their mental images to make learning easier. Visual learning skills can be explored by parents at any age and easily taught, especially in primary school. Slightly adjusting how we educate children will allow them to maximise their learning experience. Although mental imagery is a natural skill for everyone, its contribution to learning is often overlooked.
Written by a real teacher, who puts her ideas to practice in a real classroom, with real children; this book provides a comprehensive selection of step-by-step instructions, case studies, clean questions for SEN and examples of how to effectively introduce Clean Language practice within the classroom. It aims to improve communication and inclusion to develop a productive learning environment for students and teachers alike. It encourages children, teachers and parents to respect the others and their needs. This innovative new book gives teachers the tools on how to include effective clean questions in their lesson planning based on a mini-research project undertaken by Julie in her own classroom with her pupils to discover the benefits of using clean language in the classroom.
So the other day I was talking with Ashley towards the end of the class and mentioned she'd been absent a lot and asked if she had been ill. She said, "No, we've been getting the place ready for my parents. They're coming home." "Really?" I was a bit puzzled. "Yeah," she said, "I pick dad up from prison on Monday and mom on Wednesday." Somebody Else's Problem* just walked in the classroom door. Don't take it personally Arthur and I know they didn't cover this in the undergrad education courses you took... of course said courses were an easy A and a joke. After I'd been teaching a few years the Head of the Education College invited me to teach teachers since I was such a good teacher. I took the bait but soon realized I couldn't teach them how to be me and wasn't sure what it was that I was doing that was so good. Since then I've figured out a few things and thought I'd share what they don't cover in those college classes. The most important thing we can teach our students is that learning is fun and they can do it. If we don't teach them that it doesn't matter what we teach. "S.E.P.s... from Douglas Adams Life, the Universe and Everything, *This is the best book on education I've ever read. It's the portrait of a teacher." Bruce Knecht
