Ever walked into a maths class and felt that familiar, heavy silence? The kind where the only sound is the scratching of pens on paper as students dutifully copy formulas from the board? Dr Marian Small, a global leader in maths education, and Elise, a consultant from Education Perfect, believe it’s time to shake things up.
In a recent webinar, they made a compelling case for a more engaging, student-centred approach to teaching. They argued that moving away from the old “direct instruction” model isn’t just a trend; it’s a way to genuinely help students understand, reason, and perhaps even enjoy the subject. Dr. Small introduced a dynamic four-part lesson framework that puts the student’s thinking right at the heart of the learning experience.
Part 1: Setting the Stage with a Purpose
The first step in a successful lesson is a clear learning goal. This isn’t just for you, the teacher; it’s a signpost for your students, letting them know where they’re headed. Dr Small suggests that learning goals can be about a specific skill, like applying index laws, or a broader idea, such as explaining a concept.
But here’s a liberating thought: you don’t always have to reveal the goal at the very start. Sometimes, it’s better to hold back if the goal contains complex vocabulary or if you want students to discover a principle for themselves, like the formula for the area of a circle. This approach builds curiosity and makes the “a-ha!” moment all the more satisfying.
Part 2: The “Minds On” Warm-Up
Forget boring mental maths. The “minds on” phase is a short, sharp activity designed to get students’ brains in gear. It’s a bridge that connects what they already know to what they’re about to learn.
The key is to make it a discussion, not a quiet worksheet. Dr Small is a big fan of open-ended questions that have multiple entry points. This gives more students a chance to participate and builds their confidence. For instance, before a lesson on exponents, you could ask students whether they agree with the statement that 34 and 43 are the same because multiplication can be done in any order. This sparks a debate and gets their reasoning skills firing from the off.
Part 3: The “Action” Phase
This is the main event. It’s where the real learning happens and the students get to take control. Working in small groups is highly recommended as it fosters collaboration and provides a richer learning environment.
The goal here is a rich task that supports students to make decisions and think deeply about the concepts. It’s not about following a recipe, but about grappling with a problem. Dr Small gave a brilliant example: instead of asking students to find an estimate for an irrational number, ask them to find multiple irrational numbers that estimate to a given rational number. This requires them to work backwards and apply their knowledge in a new way, which is far more powerful than simple repetition.
Part 4: Consolidation & Purposeful Practice
The lesson doesn’t end when the bell rings. The final phase is about bringing it all together. During consolidation, you, the teacher, can guide the discussion to ensure every student grasps the key ideas. This is your chance to ask those critical, big-picture questions like, “Why is scientific notation useful for very large and very small numbers, but not for regular ones?” It’s about ensuring they walk away with a solid conceptual understanding.
Finally, there’s the practice. Dr Small calls it purposeful practice because it’s not just about doing questions for the sake of it. It should include both skill practice and conceptual practice. And a top tip? Don’t always put the easiest questions first. Mixing up the difficulty encourages students to persevere and not give up when they hit a hurdle.
By adopting this four-part framework, you can transform your maths lessons from a chore into a rewarding journey of discovery for every student. It’s all about being intentional, trusting your students, and remembering that the joy of maths isn’t just in the calculation—it’s in seeing how things work.
