1. After talking about maths reforms last night #KeepCalmAndKeepPlaying I came across this picture from pre lockdown. This mathemagician had covered her boards with numicon. My teaching was simply asking "what can you see" and suggesting the tools she could use to record it

2.

Would she have met the new ELG about auto recall of facts? Definitely with resources- without maybe

Would every child have met that goal? Definitely not- and that isn't about low expectation its about childrens development

Would we have taught to this goal? No

3. How was she able to do this?

Well she had the experiences, the resources, the teaching, the time, the space, the interactions she needed.

So in these times of uncertainity about the new reforms we must simply #KeepCalmAndKeepPlaying- keep doing what works!

4. And as we are repeatedly being told that the ELGs are not high stakes (although those of us in YrR know the reality) and we should not be planning from them...

Lets embrace that.

Here's what I suggest....

5. Let's not worry about the goals.

Let's worry about giving children what they need to develop as competent, confident, capable fascinated mathematicians who demonstrate those crucial charactersitics of effective learning.

Let's lay the foundations and do the groundwork...

6. We need to make sure we have the subject knowledge required to support early maths as well as the ability to lead the pedagogy to ensure the "how" of teaching/learning maths is pedagogically responsible and ethical for every child...

7. So use these fantastic links to help you on your way...
@DREMEmath @eriksonmath @DHClements https://learningtrajectories.org/index.php/learning_trajectories and of course here in England @EChildhoodMaths

8. And lets not even worry about "that" goal. Lets worry about giving our children what they need.

And when the summer comes in YrR and we look at "that" goal- the chances are most children will be able to subitise to 5 and will be developing that deep understanding to 10...

9. Not because we have taught to it- but because we have taught early maths well.

So back to my original post- will they be able to "automatically recall facts with no aids?" Who knows...

10. Some probably will. Some probably won't.

Will that mean we haven't taught maths well? Of course not.

This goal is unevidenced and there is no research saying it is right for 4/5 yr olds.

So the worst thing we can do is to teach to it...

11. Instead teach your children from where they are. Know the pathways of development learn from @DHClements @EChildhoodMaths @eriksonmath @DREMEmath and join your children on their pathway....playing, talking, building, wondering, listening, creating, moving, singing together..

12. Build the foundations folks- build on the rocks, not on the sand.

And just #KeepCalmAndKeepPlaying.

End.