RSSMixhttp://www.rssmix.com/This feed was created by mixing existing feeds from various sources.en-gb http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/v8bvYgD562o/Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:06:19 -0500SQA have just published The Design Principles for the National Literacy and Numeracy qualifications.Here are a few things that stood out for me after a first reading:To get a 4 you need to get a 4 in every assessable component. If you get one 3 then you get a 3 overall.Information Handling is going to [...]ac5dbd5a7885e09648e846f27d232a01 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/MoeUqbA6K1E/Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:51:34 -0500Julie Arrol asked me this question yesterday on Twitter:What are your views about amount of time to spend whole class teaching in maths vs. individual/group work etc.?I told Julie I’d get back to her, but my response needs more than 140 characters – hence this short blog post.The short answer is that there is no [...]6b4afe7215072c25e65ce81e00e9de7d http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/vLwf2klukuo/Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:29:58 -0500I’ve been asked via a DM on Twitter for advice about purchasing a first mandolin for a beginner. A proper response will need more than 140 characters, so here I am!Firstly, I should congratulate you on having the good sense to consider learning to play the mandolin! It is a fabulously versatile instrument, and is [...]6efd05eb908d8c0bee899bae4b34b02a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/baTDBA62Yxw/Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:04:59 -0500I observed the class of an experienced colleague today, at the invitation of my colleague. He is very pleased with the way the class is getting on, and wanted me to come in and give the class a boost.It was fascinating, as always, to observe a lesson, and I was indeed very impressed by how [...]5dd9be84870d799de3f9041c4a4c4f7f http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/pCV-B7h0NI0/Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:49:22 -0400Sometimes we just don’t know the effect we have on youngsters.On Monday I was sitting in the maths base at break time chatting to my colleagues when a sheepish face appeared at the door. It was boy A (who appeared in a previous magic moment), a pupil of mine last session. When he arrived at [...]0eb465b5af274b1fd8961a230207acbe http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/6WVSlxvFveg/Sun, 24 May 2009 06:35:04 -0400I’m currently reading Mindset, by Carol S Dweck (soon to be appearing at the Scottish Learning Festival!). In a nutshell, her thesis is this:Everyone has one of two basic mindsets. If you have the fixed mindset, you believe that your talents and abilities are set in stone – either you have them or you don’t. [...]83263d4b729946fcce7bdf8a32b5fd27 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/LoUQH1RC05E/Sun, 24 May 2009 05:56:19 -0400I spent last Wednesday interviewing for a new ftp member of the maths department. We had a great set of interviewees and I would have been delighted to have almost all of them in our team.10 years ago I decided to move on from Newbattle High School, and began applying for other teaching jobs in [...]84f7b95568090d44959b8e1c9dbc9c3d http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/rHRceAED70I/Fri, 15 May 2009 09:35:07 -0400As maths departments across the country consider how to deliver a Curriculum for Excellence, we are all looking at potentially useful resources on the Web.Let’s not do that job hundreds of times over in isolation. Let’s do it together in a way that enables us to build on each other’s discoveries, and refine our [...]fcf53e4162b770c8b964b797b4e91a55 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/Ku1xH_NZiQc/Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:28:29 -0400Come August I will be leading the maths department at North Berwick High School. In preparation for this, I am reflecting upon what my core values really are. I have just begun this process, but already one value stands out very clearly:Every young person coming into our department should be valued, respected and nurtured by [...]6648136681c97a12b0a7eee46c709f13 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jonesieblog/~3/uuHQhWrJvvo/Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:52:39 -0400As many of you may already know, I was successful last week in my application to become the next Principal Teacher of Mathematics at North Berwick High School. I am absolutely delighted, and can’t wait to get started.The vacancy arose as a result of the approaching retirement of my current PT, Simon Smith. It has [...]b2c27d6979d996d309bcfdf48aaf2840