1

Teaching as Inquiry Action Plan

FOCUS:
Use printed linear number lines and empty number lines to move students confused
with backward and forwards counting through decades from concrete (equipment and
materials)to abstract number imaging.

Also to help improve the self efficacy these children have in maths.

This inquiry will follow the principles of ALL or ALiM. In other words you need to
focus your inquiry for a short and intensive period of time during the appraisal
cycle. This should be 8-10 weeks. Do not carry this inquiry on all year for fear of
losing direction and focus and also if you do something a certain way it is not
advisable to get to the end of the year and decide that infact you should not have
done what you did. Also if Appraisal is to become a bigger process it has to be
manageable. A short block of time has high impact, is achievable and potentially
sustainable if it has favourable outcomes.

Instructions:
Please copy this template and rename as your own.
Share with Principal and Syndicate Leader.
Your inquiry needs to be approved.
Follow through the suggestions and guidelines with the template but remove and
add your own related and appropriate dialogue.
You need to have an observation/s of what you are doing and need to organise
this with your syndicate leader.
Checkpoints and milestones will be developed and shared with teachers after the
development of each individuals action plan.

1 Developed from NZC online resources

 Getting Started: Focusing your Inquiry
What is important and therefore worth spending time on given where my students
are currently learning or at?
What isnt working that well? Speed,confidence and accuracy when counting
from 1-100 forwards and backwards.
What do I want to change? I want these children to have more confidence in
their ability. They are all reluctant, anxious mathematicians. The children
in this group where not secure in number before and after especially
with numbers greater than 100. Their recall was slow and unsure.
What is the evidence - from my achievement data, student learning dispositions,
student engagement or behaviour, or my own teacher practice? I would like to
improve the accuracy, confidence and effort when counting up and
counting up. JAM results, general observations, group work and other
assessments have made me think this is a good thing to inquire to
improve. These students dont miss behave in maths, they just seem to
find it difficult to concentrate at time. I am thinking what can get these
kids engaged?

JAM results term 1 2016 Math interchange Room 5

NAME MODULE 3 MODULE 4 MODULE 5
NUMBER ID FORWARD BACKWARD SEQUENCE
SEQUENCE

Harry 5 5 3

Fast and Slower at 14 skip Issues with number

accurate count 2s before over 100. E.g.
261 (251)
Uncertainty skip counting
in 2s

Alex 5 3 3

Quick, Issue with one Issue with one before

confident after past 100: past 100: 261 (251),
149(159), 378 400 (300)
(478) Difficulty counting back in
1s&2s

Ella 5 3 2/3

good Forward sequence Many issues

good. Issues 23,21,12,11,.
with one after: 103,102,101,90,80,70
378 (478), 149 80(70), 100(90)
(549)

Sahara 4/5 4 3/4

Big pause for Some Trouble Number one less issues

numbers number before over 100: 400 (39),
over 100. over 100. 230 (220), Skip count
in 2s good
 How does my evidence translate to information for learning? The JAM data
indicates some specific teaching needs to happen to support the
backwards and forwards number sequence. Evidence suggests these
skills are essential for further progress.

Teaching Inquiry:
What strategies will I use that are evidence based and the most likely to help my
students to learn?
Through my observations these pupils are not grasping 100 boards or
happy 100s. Counting through decades in 1s, 2s, 5s etc forwards and
backwards has proven challenging. Often unexpected errors. I want to
use number lines in various ways but more importantly work with this
group to improve their confidence and effort.

I want to research and learn more about talk moves and put into
practice. I also want to use number lines of different sizes (spaces
between numbers etc), numbers missing, large whole group lives,
individual number lines etc.

With this group I want to use talk moves cards that I learnt in Maths
Staff Meeting professional development with Marilyn Holmes-
Mathematics Facilitator, Otago University.

Use these on a regular basis:

What does the research say? You need links and evidence of this.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/Bruce.pdf maths
talk guidelines, quetioning skills, wait time, justification of answer, rich
maths tasks.
https://pll.asu.edu/p/system/files/lrm/attachments/Lets%20talk.pdf discouse is
essential for maths progress, Participating in a mathematical
community through discourse is as much a part of learning mathematics
as the conceptual understanding of the mathematics itself.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-participation-strategy video:
teachers perspective and talk moves in action.
http://www.ngsx.org/files/5414/2463/8487/MichaelsOConnor_Talk_Moves_as_Tools_
Resnick_Volume.pdfWait time the most difficult skill for teachers to pick up
and consistently continue.

Which strategies are known to have the greatest impact on student learning? I
think allowing to use materials and having maths conversations.
What can I do right now? This is about assessing your own ability to change or
 cope with the current situation. Use chorus counting, use talk moves maths
cards, repetition is key, use wait time. Start mathematics conversations,
use correct language, learning through listening to each other and their
justifications. USE THE BELOW CARDS CONSISTENTLY:

What do I need additional support with? Please see other teachers or syndicate
leader here.Sara Brown: talk move conversation cards. Sara to model how
to use the math conversation cards
 What do I need to work on first? How will I frame this up? Setting myself up to
start and setting up for success! Use talk moves cards, wait time and repeat,
repeat, repeat are ny narrowed down focus-in all for greater chance of
success. Observation from Sara.
Student voice - what do my students think? How will I let them know that we are
trying something new? I like to chorus count as it doesnt make me nervous-Ella,
Will this inquiry focus on the whole class or a group of students? Group of
students. Listed above.

Learning Inquiry/Evaluation:
What has happened as a result of the changes in teaching, and what are the
implications for future teaching?
What evidence do I have that these strategies have been effective - achievement
data, student learning dispositions, student engagement and behaviours or
teaching practice?

NAME FNWS TERM 1 FNWS TERM 3 BNWS 1 BNWS TERM

3

Harry 5 E5 3 E5

Alex 3 E5 3 4

Ella 3 4 2/3 4

Sahara 4 E5 3 E5

A whole class number line is at child height, number lines are used in
group activity, guided group and practise is evident.

The strategy group I observed were working at stage . The children

worked through the teaching model from materials (number line)
imaging (skip counting blanks on number line) to number properties
(arrays and know facts).

The children were discussing their thinking with a buddy and across the
group, this allowed children to discuss with a safe buddy and to hear
another strategy unlike what they were likely to hear from a buddy.
CHildren were expected to actively listen to across group
strategy.Checked in with ALex, Ella, SaharA for understanding and Harry
for participations. Students clear of WALT.

General Comments:

The tone you have with your students is so kind, appropriately

humorous and encouraging. Your students know what your
expectations are and routines. We are fortunate to have you as a
member of our school and the students in your class are exceptionally
lucky to have had a teacher of your calibre.

-SARA BROWN OBSERVATION 31-8-2016

My own observations also suggest that these children are more

confident in their ability and they can solve forwards number and
backward number counting sequence equations. Some JAM observations
noted from term 3/term 4 check up: (IN PINK)

SAHARA

ALEX
 HARRY

If the strategies have been effective what are my next steps?Less better for
student clarity. record LI and stic to it if something crops up, address it
next time, unless it is a barrier to LI, then of course fold back.
How will I sustain the effective practices?
Keep using questioning (talk move cards),
What will my new inquiry focus be? What new goals do I want to set?
What can I do if things dont work?
What different approach to the problem could I try?
Should I ask my students?
What other teachers can I talk to?
Who can I ask to peer observe in my classroom (as well as SL)?
How can I organise it so that I use video to record my practice, so I can analyse
the footage?
What other strategies could I use to support my goals and direction?