Which Maths teachers out there are fed up of stressing the same basic exam/test skills? Come on, there must be more than that? You there at the back. That’s more like it!
Unfortunately, us teachers don’t understand student basics:
* Pencils are for chewing, flicking or breaking.
* Rulers are for poking and twanging
* Working out is detrimental to doodling time
* And as for Units – wasn’t that mentioned in PSCHE to do with alcohol?
Sound familiar?
This term I’ve made my class reflect on the basics using a ‘Fallen Phrase’ puzzle templateĀ from Discovery Puzzlemaker. The skeleton of the phrase is given, but the missing letters are stacked at the bottom of each column – a bit like a collapsed ‘Wheel of fortune’ puzzle.
The puzzle covers all the basic skills, but it is difficult. My students had to really think what I nag them about, rather than just rearrange the letters.
I just hope all their hard work pays off in their test.
Visit the Discovery puzzlemaker site.