How to Help Your Child Get The Most Out of the Christmas Season
Do you sometimes wonder why you send your child to school in the last few days of term?
Those last days of term were often seen as wasted days. Do you know the days I mean, where teachers put on a christmas film? I really didn’t like wasting those days, but wanted to bring fun into my lessons. I would find activities that build on skills that we didn’t have time to work on in class. In particular, I would choose activities for shape and space skills, as it takes time to do these properly. I found and developed activities that would build shape and space knowledge and confidence, as well as those skills we assume young people have already mastered, this would typically include how to use compasses.
We’d spend time practicing, and it was such a good use of those last few days of term.
I remember one young person, who thought they would never be able to draw a circle neatly with compasses, so I sat patiently with them, and helped them with my ‘twizzle, elbow, sweep’ method that I developed. I cannot forget that smile on their face when, after much practice, they were able to draw neat circles. For them it was such an accomplishment, and then we went on to do fun activities that used that skill, to futher embed it. Using compasses is so important at GCSE, because constructions with compasses is one of the examined skills.
How to Use Compasses – My Method
I know that “Twizzle, Elbow, Sweep” seems like a strange way of drawing circles, but then I am ‘Liz the mad maths teacher’ as Steph, my assistant calls me! Here’s a short explanation, in case you want to practice.
Preparation:
- Make sure your pencil is sharp
- Tighten the screw on the compasses
Hold the top of the compasses between your thumb and index finger and practice ‘twizzling’
Then place it on the paper and lift your elbow up high
Sweep the compasses around, don’t worry about holding it straight up!
Watch the video below and see me demonstrate this method that always sees success:
Maths is so much more than just the curriculum
I also used the time to look at maths that was outside of the curriculum. Nurturing an appreciation of the beauty and interesting nature of mathematics. Something that we don’t always realise is there. There is mathematics in nature, it’s beautiful, just look up fractals. They are so clever!
You can do this with your child too
You may not have control of what happens in the classroom (that’s another discussion for another time), but you do have control of what you do at home. You can work on these skills, and have fun. That’s why I created my e-book ‘12 Mathematical Days of Christmas’. It contains 12 activities that build skills with compasses, constructions, nets and 3D shapes, and is suitable for anyone in key stages 2, 3 and 4. There are questions to ask along the way, and QR codes to access videos to help.
At only £9.99 I’m giving you everything you need to be able to help your child in this way and have some maths fun. All you need is christmas paper or card, glue, compasses, a ruler (and a needle and thread for one activity!) and the mindset that maths can be fun! Get your copy now!
Join the conversation and show us what you make in our Facebook Community, Education Support 4 Parents.