Join us and our special guest, Ben Sparks, as we discuss everything from engaging teaching methods and practical applications to fostering curiosity among students.We emphasise the need for teachers to make maths interesting and accessible beyond the traditional curriculum. While exploring the importance of deep understanding over memorisation across all subjects.We also take a look at parental influence and some different, varied pedagogical approaches to create an engaging and accessible learning environment for all students.  Meet our Guest:Ben is an experienced mathematician, musician and public speaker. He hosts maths talks and workshops around the world.Ben is currently part freelance and an Area Coordinator with the AMSP, and is based at the University of Bath. His performances include regular work with the Numberphile YouTube channel, where his videos have been watched over 12 million times. He also runs his own YouTube channel, SparksMaths. @SparksMaths | https://www.bensparks.co.uk/ Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Join us for the preview episode of Season 2 of ‘Digging for the Why’ where we explore the deeper questions behind mathematics education.In this episode, we’ll glimpse into what listeners can expect from the upcoming season.We welcome a special guest and the third wheel of the DFTW tricycle, Sam, who provides her unique perspective as a non-mathematician and offers her insight into the editing process of the podcast.Meet our Guest:Sam handles all things branding and design at MEI. Whilst not classing herself as a mathematician, she is passionate about education and has a background in teaching. Sam edits all our podcast episodes and has a comprehensive understanding of what we do. We thought we’d get her on so she can discuss her thoughts on Season 2.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers and maths enthusiasts where we discuss the need to ask why. In this special episode, recorded live at the MEI conference in June 2023, we get the opportunity to ask questions to the key people involved in designing the new maths curriculum for KS1-4 for the Oak National Academy.Andy hosts the episode and is joined by the following guests on stage:Charlie Stripp – CEO of MEIEd Southall – Maths lead for the Oak National AcademyAlison Hopper – Primary lead for the Oak National Academy (and usual co-host for DFTW!)Vicky Wheelhouse – Secondary lead for the Oak National AcademyThis was a 45 minute Q&A about the planned Oak curriculum for maths where teachers and other audience members go the chance to ask questions of the panel.The questions include:·       Why choose MEI?·       How will Oak address the various transitions across KS1-4?·       As a student, will I feel ‘Oak fatigue’?·       How does this project differ from other ‘bought in’ curriculums?·       How do the Oak resources empower teachers rather than deskill them?·       How are the resources created and how can teachers adapt them?·       Is accessibility considered for these resources?·       Are there any resources for SEND? If not, are they planned for the future? Links to things mentioned in this episode:The Oak National AcademyEquatioFind Ed and VIcky here:·       Ed – @edsouthall·       Vicky - @v_wheelhouseEnjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy are joined by a special guest, Tom Button. Together they discuss the following:Season 2 of Digging For The Why?How can students and teachers benefit from technology?When should students start using technology?Andy poses the daft question: Is there a difference between using technology and using technology in the classroom?What is happening with technology use in the primary sector?How can we improve teaching through the use of technology?Take simple steps to experience success with technologyLinks to things mentioned in this episode:Calculator CrunchGraphing software - Autograph/Desmos/GeoGebra SAMR modelFlipgrid - now called Flip!Desmos ClassroomGlobalGEGIf you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEITom - @MathsTechnology Our intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy are joined by a special guest, Richard Perring. Together they discuss the following:Keeping your LinkedIn up-to-date!Why should we encourage the use of rich tasks? What do students and teachers gain?The power of asking whyRich tasks don't need to last a lesson, just have a thinking questionListening to student conversations to guide the teachingIs there still a space for coursework?Does there need to be a right answer?As a teacher, be open to learning Where can you go to read about rich tasks and get some starting points?The power of a collaborative planning modelLinks to things mentioned in this episode:Ann Watson & John Mason - Mathematical thinkingColin Foster and Tom Francome - Plenary or just ponder?Transum - Starter of the dayTransforming primary mathematics - Mike AskewThinkers - ATMAlgebradabraMathematical challenges for able pupilsIf you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIRichard - @learning mathsOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy are joined by a special guest, Tom Rainbow. Together they discuss the following:Tom's thoughts on challenging and motivating studentsAndy's son passes the Men In Black interview processDo we help students awareness of what they know and don't know?Teachers should model thinking in classWhose responsibility is it to embed problem-solving time in lessons?Does a schools' vision for maths impact on what happens in the classroom?How do I plan a lesson as a new teacher that can challenge and motivate students and it doesn't wear me out by half term?Using 'I wonder' and 'I notice' statements to engage and motivateTeachers owning the lesson but still letting the students have space to explore and discoverLinks to things mentioned in this episode:Ken Robinson's TED talk - Do schools kill creativity?If you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEITom - @CoreMathsTomOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy discuss the following:Andy apologises for a lack of knowledge of adjectivesDo we take into account the difference in how children conceptualise maths to teachers?Clarity in the classroom - is there a difference between what the teacher thinks the lesson was vs what the student thinks the lesson wasMove from planning what we want students to have 'done' in the lesson to how we want the students to have 'thought' in the lessonGive value to the students' years in maths to dateDo we empathise enough about the transition into Y7 for our students?A consistent school culture can lead to consistency in classrooms and have a positive impact on teaching and learningDo secondary school teachers give enough credit to what students have learnt in primary schools? Spoiler alert: NO!Links to things mentioned in this episode:The Balacheff article If you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy are joined by a special guest, Alison Clark-Wilson. Together they discuss the following:Andy learns the meaning of enigmatic!Why is curiosity important?Do we encourage students to ask why? Can we build the right atmosphere in our classrooms?Creating a learning plate to have diverse lessons.Calculators as an investigative tool.A wall of unanswered questions - give value to student questions that are outside the curriculum.Are we giving space for curiosity?Links to things mentioned in this episode:Graphing software - Autograph/Desmos/GeoGebra If you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIAlison C-W - @AliClarkWilsonOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy are joined by a special guest, Vicky Osborn. Again this episode was recorded in two parts: Part One: Andy and AlisonThe differences between KS2 and KS3 for stakeholdersKS3: The Wasted Years? Ofsted report 2015What is being done to address issues from this report? Valuing the mathematical journey of our students at every stagePart Two: Andy, Alison and VickyAndy has a rantVicky's experience of the transition yearsParents as stakeholders in the transitionIs pedagogy the same at KS2 and KS3? What is should be vs what it could be.How does joint planning help plan a scheme of work in KS3?What happens after SATs in Y6?Why do Year 7s put their hand up and ask what to do when they finish their page?Links to things mentioned in this episode:NCETM Find your local maths hubOfsted report If you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIVicky - @CheerVixOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.This episode is in two parts. In part one, Andy and Alison discuss what they mean by mastery. In part two, they are joined by Steph Kirk, a teacher in a brand new school with just Year 7, to hear how she uses mastery as part of her teaching.Together they discuss the following:The weather - again!The challenge and opportunity of only having Year 7 in a schoolPD in your departmentUsing mastery in your planning and teachingLinks to things mentioned in this episode:RekenreksNCETM - MasteryFind your local maths hubNCETM - Professional Development resourcesWest Yorkshire Maths HubReady to progress criteriaNCETM checkpoint resourcesIf you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEISteph - @Steph_mathsiveOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons.In this episode, Alison and Andy discuss the following:What do we mean by digging for the why? Why we shouldn't teach tricks A student led vs teacher led classroomLinks to things mentioned in this episode:NCETM continuity workgroupsNCETM checkpoint resourcesIf you enjoyed this episode please help us reach more people by leaving us a (good and 5*!!) review :-)You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.

Hello and welcome to Digging for the why - the podcast for maths teachers of years 5-8 looking at continuity and why we need to dig for the why in our lessons. This episode is a chance for us (Andy and Alison) to introduce ourselves and give you an overview of the podcast series that will follow.You can find us on twitter:Andy - @desire2undrstndAlison - @AlisonHopperMEIOur intro/outro was produced by a talented young creative - check out his Soundcloud.Enjoyed this episode? Help us reach more people by leaving us a 5*!! review You can find us on XAndy - @desire2undrstnd/Bluesky Alison - @AlisonHopperMEI A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.