Refining a lesson design within the context of a unit
– The Qingpu District Primary School 5th Young Mathematics Teacher Workshop Study and Demonstration Activity
On the afternoon of February 28, 2023, members of the 5th Young Mathematics Teacher Workshop gathered at SUIS Qingpu to present their case study results on the theme of “Refining Units into an Hour”. This activity mainly focused on research content from two perspectives: the overall teaching design of a unit on “area” and the case study report of “Graphic Measurement”. Mr Yang Aijun and Ms Liu Jian, mathematics teachers and researchers from a Qingpu District primary school, Mr Liujian, Principal of Yan’an Primary School, and the tutors of the young mathematics teachers all participated in the seminar.
At the beginning of the seminar, Ms Helen Liu, SUIS Qingpu’s Assistant Principal, addressed the assembled educators to kick-start the proceedings. Qingpu District’s primary school mathematics research member Mr Yang Aijun expounded that this research was undertaken to address proper unit planning and effective teaching methodology.
Next, Mr. Ling JiaHui from Songze School and Ms. Sunny Shen from SUIS Qingpu both gave their teaching feedback on “Square Centimeters” and “Area of a Square and Squares”. Mr. Ling attached great importance to building up students’ sense of the value of measurement in the classroom, and Ms. Sunny guided the students with observation, DIY tasks and imagination, developing the students’ concept of space.
In view of the classroom teaching and lecture content of the two young math teachers, Mr. Xu Zhiwei from the Qingpu World Foreign Language School and Ms. Judy Yang from SUIS Qingpu spoke highly of the two lessons and also shared their own thoughts. Additionally, Mr. Yang Aijun asked the teachers in the workshop to put forward their own ideas and raise questions, invoking a strong atmosphere of collaborative development and learning.
Later, Ms. Zhou Wenjie from Fengxi Primary School introduced the overall teaching design of the “Area” unit, which enabled the teachers present to have a better understanding of the requirements of the lesson standards through a unit perspective and the context of the teaching materials and the core competencies expected. Ms Jin Xiaoyan from Qinghua Primary School analyzed the example research report of “Graphic Measurement”, showing us the overall design concept of the unit and the basic strategies and teaching methods in the field of graphic measurement, so that all the teachers present gained a deeper understanding of the teaching of “Graphic Measurement”. Mr. Vic from SUIS Qingpu talked about the design of the “Area” unit. He shared that he hoped he could achieve the unit’s outcomes with his class, pay attention to the key skills, and adjust his teaching methods accordingly. Ms. Cao Jianping, a tutor at the workshop, praised the example case study of “Graphic Measurement” and gave her own suggestions, which greatly benefitted the young teachers.
Finally, the principal from Yan’an Primary School, Mr. Liujian, exhorted the students of the workshop for participating in the research with eagerness and modesty. He also tasked the young teachers to dare to persevere and make progress with their questioning during lessons.
Through this seminar, schools worked hand-in-hand with schools. With the leadership of experts, the seminar helped young teachers understand the structure and significance of overall unit planning and teaching, constantly reflecting on the design and implementation of the classroom teaching process, and developing core skills in lessons.
