I had a cancellation, so I observed Peter’s program. The program was the first year 11 Extension 1 session. As the students were nervous sitting in a room with unfamiliar faces, Peter began with an icebreaker activity to release the tension in the room and emphasise a welcoming environment. The icebreaker consisted of students sharing their name, school, and some of their favourite hobbies and interests. This really created a positive learning atmosphere and really eased into the session.
After the icebreaker, Peter introduced the homework rules that apply, going through what would happen if you missed the first, second, and third weeks of homework. He introduced the format that the programs will run in, highlighting that the booklets given are worked through in the 2-hour period and the homework booklet is completed at home.
Peter proceeded to start the booklet. He emphasised the WHY??, explaining that the brain is a muscle and math is the gym. The first topic to be completed in the Year 11 Extension 1 course is the math advanced topic of Methods in Algebra. Peter began to explain and run through the questions, which seemed like revisions to the students, which was effective for the learning. He used the whiteboard, allowing the students to visualise each question step by step. The students took turns answering questions, allowing them to demonstrate their understanding while all asked questions where necessary. This interactive approach kept the students engaged and built a positive, inclusive learning environment.
The subtopics that were covered in the sessions were:
– Simplifying expressions
– Index Laws
– Expanding
– Factorising
– Algebraic Fractions
Throughout the session, Peter allowed the students to solve some aspects independently and then discuss as a group. He cleared up any concerns the students had and highlighted his method. The collaborative approach worked really well in the sessions.
It was a good session to observe. Good job Peter!
David Hanna
