MPI 9

 Yippee! Kua tutuki, kua ea!

Happy and excited to have completed MPI 2024. It was not easy at all, and sometimes added extra pressure where it was definitely not needed (I recall the end of term 2 being particularly yuck). But nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. I also need to acknowledge my amazing colleagues here at kura, who have often taken on my class as well as their own; and my wonderful principal, who despite being overloaded with normal principal stuff, sometimes took them for English on MPI days. Ka nui te mihi aroha ki a koutou - mwah.

Biggest takeaways from the MPI:

- let the students use materials, even though they are "big kids". One of my most capable students had an important epiphany about fractions after being able to use foam fraction pieces. 

- rich tasks one day a week are an awesome way to get them working in different groups, taking on different roles, and challenging themselves beyond the normal daily maths grind. After five or so weeks of doing them, one student (same student as above, with the fraction pieces) asked if we were going to keep on doing them (and not in an "Ugh" kind of way, but an "Ooh!" kind of way). Implementing them with a new class next year, with Group Rules for Talk from day one, is something I am looking forward to. I also find the planning template really useful, as it helps me to get ahead of what the students might do, or misconceptions they might have, and what they need to be able to do to solve it.

- tip charts for vocabulary. Love them! I have used them a few times during the MPI, and it also helps me to remember important vocab myself. 

- ambitious outcomes. I think too often I keep children back in their maths progress because of gaps that need filling. But I think MPI has made me see that memorising facts (while important) is not EVERYTHING, and that they can continue to learn more complex strategies and build their knowledge at the same time. 

Thank you to all our amazing facilitators! You've all done a wonderful job. Ngā mihi!