As mathematics teachers we simply cannot just stop learning and improving in our field. Reflecting on our practice is a powerful and productive way of supporting our own professional development. I found a goldmine of tools for this in the National Center for Excellence in the Teaching Mathematics (NCETM). I think this site is great for mathematics teachers who wants to keep on improving their craft. Below are some of the self-evaluation questions they have for mathematics- specific teaching strategies.
1. How confident are you that you know how and when it is appropriate to:
- demonstrate, model and explain mathematical ideas?
- use whole class discussion?
- use open questions with more than one possible answer to challenge pupils and encourage them to think?
- use higher order or more demanding questions to encourage pupils to explain, analyse and synthesise?
- intervene in the independent work of an individual or group?
- summarise and review the learning points in a lesson or sequence of lessons?
2. How confident are you that you can select activities for pupils that will promote your learning aims and, over time, give them opportunities to:
- work independently as individuals or collaboratively with others?
- engage in interesting and worthwhile mathematical activities?
- investigate and ‘discover’ mathematics for themselves?
- make decisions for themselves?
- reason and develop convincing arguments?
- visualise?
- practise techniques and skills and remember facts in varied ways and contexts?
- engage in peer group discussion?
- communicate their results, methods and conclusions to different audiences?
- appreciate the rich historical and cultural roots of mathematics?
- understand that mathematics is used as a tool in many different contexts?
3. How confident are you that you know how and when you might provide:
- alternative or supplementary activities for pupils who experience minor difficulties with learning?
- mathematical activities designed to respond to pupils’ diverse learning needs, including special educational needs?
- suitable activities for mathematically gifted pupils?
- suitable homework?
4. How confident are you that you are familiar with a range of equipment and practical resources to support mathematics teaching and learning, such as:
- structural apparatus and other models for teaching number?
- measuring equipment?
- resources to support the teaching of geometrical ideas?
- board games and puzzles?
- resources to support and stimulate data handling activities?
- calculators?
- ICT and relevant software?
Here are sample questions for self evaluation about mathematics content knowledge. Go to the NCETM.org site for other topics.
1. How confident are you that you know and can explain the properties of:
- the sine function?
- the cosine function?
- the tangent function?
2. How confident are you that you can explain:
- why sin ? / cos ? = tan ? and use this to solve simple trigonometric equations?
- why sin² ? + cos² ? = 1 and use this to solve simple trigonometric equations?
Please share this with your co-teachers.