What messages are we sending?

There are two main ideas that resonated with me from the first session.

1. Students respond to the messages they receive from those around them. Examples were given of messages that students may receive from society. e.g. girls are not good at maths. This prompted me to think about what messages I subconsciously transmit to students. Have I absorbed stereotypes relating to maths success? Have I prejudged what I think my students are capable of, or more importantly, not capable of? If so, do I subconsciously transmit these messages to my students?


Are any of my students in the grey area in the diagram? If so, how can I move them out of it?

The session has encouraged me to reassess my expectations of students, observe the messages I am giving them, and adjust my interactions with students who may not be fully achieving. By asking them what they think in a manner that communicates that I'm interested in them and expect them to succeed may well change their response to maths.

In terms of gender stereotypes, I read somewhere that stereotype issues are reinforced when teachers talk to their students as 'boys and girls', and reduced when they refer to them as students, or in other non-gender-specific language.

2. I aim to develop a classroom environment where students:
    a. identify problems, uncertainties and areas of interest
    b. have space, time, resources and support to explore their ideas, both alone and collaboratively
    c. encourage them to communicate what they have discovered with the wider group.

The first session has reinforced my thinking that this is what I should be aiming for in maths.