Session Evaluation

I have added this blog as a session evaluation but found it really difficult to limit myself to 400 words whilst making it a real evaluative piece. Never the less here it is:

Session Evaluation
I was observed by the college maths department whilst completing the numeracy specialist qualification last year. The group I had were on a media design course completing the Skills for Life qualification Application of Number Level 2. I had previously diagnosed a weakness in the group with perimeter, area and volume and interpreting the exam questions on this topic. The aim of the session was to embed and revise calculation formulae and understand the wording of typical exam style questions.
The resources I chose were existing workbooks that had explanations and exercises for the learners to work through. I decided to ‘talk and chalk’ through the explanations as a taught session with additional practice questions followed by the learners working at their own pace completing the workbook exercises. This would allow more able learners to move on and work through explanations themselves if they felt confident. Although the explanations in the workbooks were concise and clear experience of delivering numeracy has taught me that worked examples are a good way of showing the stages required in a calculation. One of my strengths as a numeracy tutor is that I have good subject knowledge and am aware of the pitfalls and misconceptions learners make in numeracy. I have learnt to use error analysis to detect where learners have made mistakes previously in maths that have stayed with them to adulthood. Error analysis enables learners to recognise where errors have been made whilst realising that getting things wrong is part of learning. By talking through the examples on the whiteboard the group were able to discuss their experiences and mistakes and through questioning I was able to draw out from them how to resolve errors and arrive at the correct solution. The observer made comment to the fact that learners were engaged and contributing to the spontaneous discussions.
Although the classroom being used was a computer room I had not planned in the use of ICT for this session as I wanted to keep the group focused on the topic. I often direct learners to websites that have interactive tutorials, quizzes or games during numeracy sessions and it would have been an idea to include this for this session for the learners who were able to complete exercises quickly as an extension activity. This would have allowed me more time to work with the less able learners on the mechanics of the calculations before also letting them use the interactive resource to consolidate their learning and enhance differentiation.