Ask your neighbour explain it to - maths GCSE

[ShouldersBackChestOutChinUp]

Dd is ding maths GCSE. First year of her course.

She was in bottom set, doing really well, predicted a 7.

She's been moved up to middle set which she hates and now her work is suffering.

She says she doesn't understand how the new teacher explains things to her. The teacher tells her to ask her neighbour to explain it to her.

To me this is weird. How does the teacher know the neighbouring student has got it right?

Shouldn't the neighbour be working on her own maths work?

Is t it the teacher's job to explain? Over and over if need be?

I'm having this issue in one of my classes with a colleague who insists on putting very clever A next to not so clever B and expecting A to "help" B.
A is not a teacher obviously so what A does, is give B the answer. B learns Jack shit and gets to be humiliated at the same time because everyone knows who the "clever" ones are.
Speak to the teacher.

No, A is not a teacher and nor is she paid to try and teach others.

I'm amazed about this. I've requested a chat with the teacher in question.

I mean, how does she know the student has explained it properly or even if the student understands it properly herself!

I think the thought process behind this is to get students to use their own initiative before asking the teacher. I've to try themselves, if that doesn't work ask another student, then try between then if the second student doesn't know, the teacher being the last resort.

*first to try themselves

Brain Book Buddy Boss.

It's an attempt to get students to stop badgering the teacher for help the instant they have a question.

I encourage my classes to discuss the maths with the person next to them - it boosts confidence to have confirmation you're doing the right thing.

If someone still didn't get it, obviously I'd help.

This happens all the way through school including primary. It's annoying when it distracts your child from doing their own stuff. My dd.is deemed to be not meeting expectation and yet she has been asked to help this kid that she really doesn't want to and ends up not finishing her own work.

It's really interesting to watch if it works well. Student A explains the process to student B in a way that student B might understand better, the lightbulb moment, and it means that student A has understood the concept using their own words and not just got the right answer.
Obviously it's a crap idea if student A just tells B the answer!

Is t it the teacher's job to explain? Over and over if need be

I suppose it’s a case of the teacher not having time to explain over & over to one student. And if the teacher’s explanation isn’t working for your daughter, a different approach is being tried.

If that approach isn’t working either, it’s sensible to request a meeting so that you can discuss other approaches.

Do you have some ideas about how your daughter learns best to suggest at the meeting? Visual strategies (drawing diagrams, writing down every step of the question & solution, etc) can work well with students who struggle with oral explanations.

@noblegiraffe we use the 5B system (the same as you but with Board aswell, there is always an example to refer to left on the board), it’s often helpful but sometimes having someone else explain it to you in totally different language can be helpful for both parties (deepens and embeds reasoning to the person explaining aswell as hopefully helping the person who’s trying to understand).
it can work well but does need monitoring if you’re actually concerned.

Primary
We encourage
2B4Me

It's actually helpful for both students as it also helps student A to understand and explain how they got the answer and deepen their understanding. Also if the student doesn't understand the way the teacher explained then maybe they'll understand the explanation from a fellow student.

I wonder if they use this much in private schools?

If they’re any good they’d certainly let the kids discuss the work.

When I was at school many many years ago this approach really worked for me and my friend. We were however friends to start with which makes a big difference

I could apply the rules but had a shit memory. She could remember the rules but wasn't confident about how to use them. We worked things out between us and by the time the exams (O levels at that time) we were both competent and got reasonable results.

It's certainly not right for eveyone and I really don't think it should be imposed as a solution to all ills

None of this has convinced me it's better for a student to teach maths concepts to another student.

Pair work to consolidate understanding, sure but it's not the role of a student to teach another who doesn't have a clue.

You clearly want the teacher to be in the wrong so 🤷‍♀️

DS's private school asks older students to be maths mentors to younger students

It does actually help the other child IMO. Explaining something to someone else helps verbalise and articulate your thoughts, and is really good for when you have to 'explain your answer' in exams.

Brain Book Buddy Boss. It's an attempt to get students to stop badgering the teacher for help the instant they have a question.

This. It's much better practice than helping a student the moment they are stuck.

None of this has convinced me it's better for a student to teach maths concepts to another student.

Do you hire a plumber and then tell them they are doing it wrong? When you go to the doctor do you argue over the diagnosis?

Very broadly the process is this:

• you give the students input about the topic


• you model answers, ask whole class questions and check understanding of the ideas until everyone says they understand


• you give progessively harder questions.

Kids who genuinely have difficulty ask specific process questions allowing you to give guidance but not answers. Kids who lack confidence say they can't do it. You help the first but you redirect the second back to trying themselves. Helping the second interrupts the learning process and they don't retain the info- it's simply bad teaching.

Badgering the teacher? The teacher is there to be asked however many times it takes for the student to understand.

It's a bit disturbing that a student asking for help is labelled as "badgering". Sounds like teachers can't be arsed.

I don't bore a plumber and tell them they're doing it wrong. Ridiculous analogy. I hire a plumber and expect them to do the job. Not ask an untrained, unpaid student to do the work for them.

I hire not bore a plumber. Although if he asked an untrained assistant to do the job, I'd probably bore him too because I wouldn't know if he would be checking the untrained assistant had fully understood.

Students also need to learn to take initiative and seek other ways of understanding than simply asking the teacher straight away. Looking back in their book, engaging with the examples, talking to their neighbour.

Immediately putting their hand up every time they don’t get something is not good learning behaviour and encourages learned helplessness.

By the way, if she’s predicted a grade 7 then she should be in a group perfectly capable of working questions out between them. It’s setting up good habits for A-level when they will be expected to do most of their learning without the teacher there.