Embedding employability skills in teaching maths

Janice Richards MEI

Tricia HartleyCampaign for Learning

Jamie AllenRavens Wood School

Session Outline

Learning in ways that develop employability skills

Case study: A coaching and mentoring programme

Group discussion

What are employability skills and who needs them?

Your contributions are welcome.

Please do share your experience and expertise.

In pairs…In 1 minute:• List at least 5 employability skills that

can be developed at school/college• Identify 1 which is particularly well

facilitated by learning maths

What are employability

Skills?

Who needs them?

Who needs them?

Who needs them?

Everyone!

Source: The CBI

Education and Skills

Survey 2011

…from school leavers

“Over two thirds of employers (70%) want to see the development of employability skills among young people at school and college made a top priority – this does not require a new qualification but rather embedding the skills in the curriculum, as the best schools and colleges already do.”Source: The CBI Education and Skills Survey 2011

…to graduates1 in 12 graduates without work six months after leaving education and 40% failing to get graduate-calibre posts more than two years after graduation.

Levels of employer satisfaction with the employability skills of graduates are higher than for school and college leavers, but there are still alarming weaknesses in skills around team working (20%) and problem-solving (19%).

The government wants universities to better collaborate with industry and made key recommendations to improve graduate employability.

What has this got to do with teaching maths?

It may help to engage

students“Maths lessons are seen as difficult, irrelevant and boring by about a third of teenagers…”

“Teenagers had clear ideas about how maths teaching could be improved, with 54% saying it should be geared to more practical scenarios.”

Mathematics: made to measure, Ofsted 2012: It remains a concern that secondary pupils seemed so readily to accept the view that learning mathematics is important but dull. They frequently told inspectors that in other subjects they enjoyed regular collaboration on tasks in pairs or groups and discussion of their ideas, yet they often did not do so in their mathematics lessons, or even expect to do so.

It may be approved of by Ofsted

It may even improve the learning of maths…

Learning in ways that develop employability skills

Tricia Hartley, Chief Executive, Campaign for Learning

Rearrange these words:

• Grandmother• Eggs• Teaching …

Rearrange these words phrase:

Source: CBI Skills Survey 2009

Lifelong Learning?

Learning to Learn Action Research Programme

• 11 year action research programme in schools, extending into FE and HE

• Explored what works in creating confident, competent lifelong learners

• Based on introducing classroom change, evaluating impact, sharing & analysing results

• Partnership with 5 Local Authorities, 2 FE Colleges, 3 Universities

• Identified positive impacts on students’ achievement, motivation, self esteem – and teacher morale!

www.campaignforlearning.org.uk

Sutton Trust/ EEF Pupil Premium Toolkit 2013Intervention Cost Rating Strength of

Evidence Average Impact

       Feedback

 

££ *** + 8 months

Metacognition & self-regulation

££ **** + 8 months

Peer tutoring

 

££ **** + 6 months

Early Years intervention

 

£££££ **** + 6 months

One to one tuition

 

££££ **** + 5 months

Homework (secondary)

 

£ *** + 5 months

Collaborative learning

 

£ **** + 5 months

www://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit

“ Since we cannot know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance.  Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned."

John Holt: ‘How Children Fail’, 1966

Case study:

Ravens Wood School’s Coaching and Mentoring

Programme

Leading by ExampleJamie Allen

Chairman of the Sixth Form Leadership Group

Ravens Wood SchoolMathematics Department

Sixth Form Leadership Group

Sixth Form Leadership Group 2012 - 2013

Taking Classes

Revision

Ma3

The Chairmen

Ben Andrews2011 - 2012

Jack Jewell2012 - 2013

Jamie Allen2013 - 2014

Coaching and Mentoring

Coaches and Mentors 2012 - 2013

One to One Mentoring

Leading Lessons

ILM Level 2 Coaching and Mentoring Accreditation

Key Characteristics

Honesty

Active Listener

LeadershipAmbition

Organisational Skills

Empathy

PassionTeamwork

Integrity

Diversity of Mentoring

There is an inspiring culture of peer mentoring and support, and competition at the highest end of the attainment spectrum that continually raises the bar and pushes the boundaries.

The Final Word from Jack

Jack Jewell, Chairman 2012 - 2013

Group discussion1. Think of 2 ways in which you

already develop employability skills in your lessons (2 mins)

2. Working in pairs, identify 2 new ways in which you could do this. (5 mins)

3. Share 1 new way with the group (5 mins)

Group discussion: New approaches

Conclusion

• Thank you for your contributions today• Do you think these ideas might help you

in your teaching?• Should MEI develop these ideas any

further?

Some ideas to take away• Class discussions https://www.ncetm.org.uk/resources/39312• Communication skills - Property Tycoon activity

http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Extra-Curricular-Property-Tycoon-6028217/

• Developing team-working skillshttp://nrich.maths.org/6933

• ILM Coaching and Mentoring level 2 Award for Young Learners:https://www.i-l-m.com/~/media/ILM%20Website/Documents/Information%20for%20centres/BulkVRQs/Bulk%20VRQs/Qual_Spec_L2_Award_in_Mentoring_for_YL_Oct_2011%20pdf.ashx