Monday
"We have had a wonderful day and are so happy to be here. Today, we have watched a Grade 4 lesson on fractions and have taken part in a TRG with 17 teachers from Shanghai. We can really see the benefits of specialising in mathematics and spending lots of time on designing lessons that use concrete, pictorial and abstract representations. Our partner teachers are fantastic and the school is very impressive. Everyone is very welcoming.
Departing Shortly for Shanghai:
"I am looking forward to seeing how teaching for mastery is delivered in China and also gathering lots of new ideas to bring back to my own school and my TRG schools. I am feeling excited about experiencing new things and anxious about what state my house will be in when I get back!!" Vicky
"I'm really excited to observe maths lessons in Shanghai and see how concepts are introduced and how they develop throughout a lesson" Amy
Wednesday
Today we watched a lesson introducing 'teens numbers'. We were impressed by the way that children were encouraged to explore a new concept and try different strategies before being guided to the most efficient method.
We also watched a lesson on multiplying a two-digit number by a one-digit number where children spent a lot of time developing a deep understanding of the operation rather than just completing lots of calculations.
Thursday
Today we watched a Grade 1 lesson on the concept of zero and a grade 2 lesson on the relationship between addition and multiplication. We were so impressed with the use of images to support children's understanding and the coherent sequence of the lessons. We also found it very useful to see the variety of questions the teachers used to deepen children's understanding.
We also got to watch an art lesson and had the opportunity to make chrysanthemums and tiger's head shoes!
Friday
Today was our last day at Chang Zheng Primary School. We have had a wonderful week here and have made some great friends.
This morning, we watched our partner teacher, Coco, teach a grade 5 lesson on multiplying decimals. The children had a clear understanding of the objective of the lesson and it was clear to see that the questions were carefully designed to highlight the important concepts and identify possible misconceptions. We were impressed by the children's reasoning and use of mathematical vocabulary.
We also had the opportunity to visit the many clubs that the school offers, including: gardening, dance, science and art.
We are sad to leave Chang Zheng Primary School, but we are looking forward to visiting a new school next week and learning even more!
