The Perfect Maths Lesson (Perfect series) - Hardcover

'The Perfect Maths Lesson' will be a great addition to the 'Perfect Family' of books in our staff room library. This little book contains a wealth of good ideas, all of which can be modified and extended to use across the different age ranges. It is a good mix of practical ideas to try in lessons, and theory to improve teaching and learning. I found it really easy to read and it even made me smile in places. As always the checklists at the end of each chapter will help teachers to reflect on their classroom practice; this will definitely lead to a better experience for children in our school. I particularly enjoyed the cheesy mathematical themed jokes and will definitely be trying them out on my children! Thank you. --Beverley Dandy, Headteacher, Outwoods Primary School

This is my first experience of the 'Perfect Lesson' series from Jackie Beere and friends and to me the title has a lot to live up to! I needn't have worried. Straight from the start Ian gives compelling and motivating reasons for learning, not just learning maths, but any learning and, particularly importantly, how to deal with the ultimate question 'why are we learning this?'. He frames the learning and remaining content of the book within the context of the modern, 'flat' world, which every conscientious teacher is desperately trying to give their learners an advantage in. Now I'm hooked. I have to admit that I read the rest of the book with enthusiasm even though it is about maths! Ian delivers an excellent balance of theory and context with hundreds (well, it seemed like hundreds. I haven't actually counted them.) of practical examples that any teacher can take into a classroom tomorrow. From engaging and challenging learners, including some great ideas for using apparatus, through to chilli heat rated activities to increase independence, the wealth of thought provoking activities makes this book a must have in any staff room. There is a hugely important chapter on emotional connections with learners and the end of chapter checklists act as quick reminders and useful pointers. So will this book mean you deliver the perfect maths lesson? Personally I don't think any book, no matter how good, can but this one will provide you with a whole toolbox of strategies and ideas that cannot fail to improve the learning in your lessons. And here's the important bit; any learning could be improved by using this book. The underlying principles, with a bit of un-maths tweaking, will have a direct impact on your teaching and, although the book has a secondary 'flavour', these can be as equally applied to the primary phase. In sum-mary (I tried really hard to resist a number of maths puns!), if you're looking for easily accessible ideas and strategies to refresh your teaching, whether in maths or other curriculum areas, this book will be an excellent addition to your collection. It's a quick and easy read that you can dive into any point and pull out a gem...and who knows, maybe that will be the one that secures the 'outstanding' judgement - or better still, gives your learners the advantage in the real world! Now I'm off to look at the rest of the perfect lesson series...! --Paul Bannister, Headteacher, Highbank Primary School

As someone who struggled with maths growing up, I often asked/wailed, Why are we learning this? Ian understands the need to bring the real world into the classroom; to give maths value and engage learners, so they have a reason to show up. He provides pupils with stimulating real life contexts that will challenge and prepare them, not make believe contexts to simply practise strategies or pass a test. Therefore young people can adapt to our compressed global community whilst becoming better learners; they are learning to learn in maths to empower them for the future. So, why are we reading this? Like any good teacher, regardless of subject area, Ian knows you have to hook pupils in and challenge them from the off, but then maintain this pace and balance throughout the lesson: he summarises how to do this with top tips. I will be keeping the book to hand as a gentle reminder and to try out some of his practical ideas and activities (from starters to original and creative assessment opportunities) to perplex, mystify and delightfully baffle learners, which he succeeded in doing to this reader many times. He even includes mathematical jokes and inspirational sayings, as he knows that learning for children is emotional and they have to enjoy it. His handy checklists guide you through the whole process of: planning, delivery and the assessment of an outstanding lesson, with references to Ofsted s expectations, although the learners are the main concern, first and foremost. There are even novel ways of setting homework which promote real independent learning (not just working on your own) and the discipline for students to push themselves. Ian continually endorses challenge: occupying a space at the edge of their ability so young people embrace being stuck and see it as an exciting gateway to new knowledge or skills. Children s fear of failure is larger in maths so he illustrates how to encourage them to fail better . They will then feel more able to take risks in these real life/unknown situations, as the children s emotional wellbeing is at the heart of his drive to make maths fun and accessible for all. In my classroom, I will now be posing, pausing, pouncing and bouncing with my pupils to ensure they truly understand maths and are not merely doing it, so I am teaching with students not to them. --Ruth Saxton, Primary Teacher and Chair of the National Association for the Teaching of Drama

In fact, as Ian Loynd demonstrates, if you are just learning the right answers, you are missing the beauty, challenge and real-world applications of the subject. Cultivate a classroom environment that establishes a culture of consistently deep, meaningful and reflective learning, chose from a range of tips and strategies to nurture key skills and mindsets in your learners, and you will deliver consistently outstanding maths lessons.