Starting your journey as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially with the introduction of the New Primary Mathematics Curriculum. The way we teach primary maths is changing, with the 2023 curriculum introducing fresh ideas in teaching, learning, planning, and assessment . This 3-part teacher planning and preparation series will get you up to speed in no time, starting with invisible planning and preparation for teaching and learning.
Invisible Planning and Preparation for NQTs
Invisible planning is the behind-the-scenes work we do as teachers that often goes unrecorded. It’s the natural planning and preparation that happens when we intuitively observe and chat with our students and reflect on their learning experiences. Invisible planning and preparation for teaching and learning can happen before, during and after lessons. When supported by curriculum knowledge, it can lead to more meaningful, fun and purposeful learning experiences in primary school mathematics.
Primary Mathematics Curriculum: Elements
So where do you start with invisible planning as an NQT? How do you know if you are doing it or not when I’ve just told you it’s invisible!? Start by familiarising yourself with the four elements of the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum: understanding and connecting, reasoning, communicating, and applying and problem solving. These elements tell us what the children in our class should be doing.
For example, the new curriculum tells us that children should be provided with playful and engaging learning experiences which allow them time to think (understanding and connecting), space to argue and justify their thinking (reasoning), time to listen to others (communicating) and opportunities to compare ideas (applying and problem solving).
An unplanned interaction with a child might make you realise that they have trouble justifying their answers. Instead of just recording this observation, you might also make a mental note to spend more time on the language of reasoning within future maths lessons. And voilà, you have just engaged in some excellent invisible planning and preparation for teaching and learning!
Primary Mathematics Curriculum: Pedagogical Practices
Just as important as what children learn, how children learn is also a part of invisible planning and preparation for teaching and learning. This brings us on to the pedagogical practices behind the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum or, in plain English, what the teacher should be doing. These research-based practices include:
- Using cognitively challenging tasks.
- Promoting maths talk.
- Fostering productive disposition.
- Encouraging playfulness.
- Emphasisng mathematical modeling.
Taking time to reflect on your own teaching of mathematics can be helpful to spot if one or more of these practices could be given more time in your maths lessons. You might realise that you are excellent at coming up with cognitively challenging maths tasks but that you need to work on encouraging playfulness, especially in 5th and 6th class.
The great news for busy NQTs is that these practices naturally link with one another! In terms of invisible planning, you might decide to do a bit more research on playfulness in the senior classes so that your cognitively challenging tasks take on a new, playful twist. Another win for invisible planning and preparation for teaching and learning!
Action Steps for NQTs
So now you know a little more about invisible planning and preparation, here’s how to go about consciously engaging with it when it comes to primary mathematics:
- Familiarise Yourself with the Curriculum Elements: Check out page 25 of the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum to understand more about the elements of understanding and connecting, reasoning, communicating, and applying and problem solving. Let these elements guide you on what your students should be doing in maths and help shape your invisible teacher planning.
- Reflect and Adapt: Regularly reflect on your unplanned interactions with students to identify areas needing more attention. For example, if you notice students struggling with reasoning, plan to incorporate more activities that emphasise the language of reasoning in your lessons.
- Integrate Pedagogical Practices: Embrace the key teaching practices of the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum. Evaluate your lessons to shine a light on what practices need the most attention and make a mental note to do some further research to integrate with what you’re already doing well in maths.
As we’ve explored, invisible planning and preparation are key to creating meaningful and engaging learning experiences in primary mathematics. By familiarising yourself with the curriculum elements and pedagogical practices, reflecting on your interactions with students, and integrating these insights into your teaching, you can enhance your effectiveness and grow your confidence teaching maths as an NQT.
Remember, the core of invisible planning and preparation is the reflection and mental notes we make so following up on these is crucial as most of this planning isn’t formally recorded. . Keep these action steps in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering invisible planning in primary mathematics.
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