How I Wish I Had Taught Maths: Reflections on research, conversations with experts, and 12 years of mistakes

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in mathematics education, away from direct instruction, toward allowing students to "discover" the math through exploring relationships or solving problems by themselves or in small groups - often with disastrous results for many students. In _How I Wish I'd Taught Maths_, British educator Barton examines a wide range of neuroscience research, looking at how students actually learn math and why the discovery approach is not effective when students are learning something new. He then explains how to apply these research findings in the classroom. His approach offers the potential to reorient mathematics education in the best possible way, with great benefits for many students. I've been a secondary math teacher for many years, and I believe this book is one of the most valuable and important contributions that has been made to mathematics education in recent decades.

Extremely important and valuable experience for math teachers, but with interest for other teachers as well as people interested in education. It's much more than a simple debunking of romantic and outdated theories on education. it's a practical explanation about the importance of the curriculum, structured teaching and knowledge. Instead of talking about "XXI century competences" and similar empty buzzwords, it helps all of us to do good teaching!

Great book, lots of practical strategies for improving math instruction. I am looking forward to implementing many of these techniques.

The book is pure genius. It is perfecly applicable for any field, though predictably it is truly great for math. Every point is proven, every aspect is covered. I will definitely have to reread it, because there is so much inside, that it’s impossible to consume it during the first read.

So much good examples of how to apply evidence based teaching techniques in the classroom. If your a math teacher get this book.

This is a very deep dive into the meta-cognition of teaching mathematical problem solving. Every math teacher ought to read this book... and perhaps every high school math student as well.

I would recommend this book if you want to think about how you might be teaching correctly or incorrectly. It is not a light read, but Barton does a fantastic job of making it much more easily digestible than it otherwise could have been.

One of the best and most practical books on teaching that I have ever read. I have tried some of the ideas and it has made a big difference and my students’ level of engagement and understanding.

I've read many books on education. Some have been very good, some ok, some distinctly average and a small number were so bad I stopped before I got to the end. Craig Barton's "How I wish I'd taught maths" doesn't fall into any of these categories because I think it is quite possibly the BEST education book I've ever read. Yes its pure focus is on teaching mathematics in a secondary situation which just so happens to be what I do for a living as well, but it is so much more than that and I am convinced that many of the ideas contained within this book would work equally well in primary schools and across other subjects at secondary level. Craig distils what he's learned from his teaching career (and the mistakes he's made) in a book which is an organised elaboration of his fantastic website. He draws on extensive reading around the research on these ideas - very much the "I've read these daunting educational tomes so you don't have to" and puts it into the context of what it would (or should!) look like in a mathematics classroom. I've been an avid listener of his podcast's and learned so much from them but this book takes many of the ideas mentioned in the podcasts and, using the solid foundations of educational research, gives them flesh and bones and brings them to life in the classroom. What gives Craig and his book credibility ahead of other books of this nature is that he is still a classroom practitioner and he practices what he preaches. They often say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks - well I've been teaching mathematics for 23 years and done it relatively successfully (I think - though you ought to check with my pupils from the past 23 years) and I'm here to tell you this book has taught this old dog a number of new tricks. Tricks is possibly an ill judged metaphor because this book is not about the 'tricks' which are the enemy of depth of understanding and focused purely on short term exam performance. This book and the ideas contained within are definitely NOT tricks but about teaching in a way where long term understanding prioritised and championed. Craig Barton's book has re-invigorated the teaching and learning aspect of my teaching career and for that I will be eternally grateful to him. I've gained so much from this book and have already put some of these ideas into practice in my own teaching (purposeful practice, example-problem pairs, extensive use of diagnostic questions, spacing effect to name just four have become more regularly - but most importantly - more deeply thought out aspects of my teaching armoury). I have plans in place to incorporate many more of the ideas (tailored for my classroom of course) as well as embedding the ones I've already worked on into my teaching in the new school year. In my opinion this book should be required reading for any PGCE or trainee mathematics teacher - it is that good and that important. As a department we intend providing copies of this book for our trainee teachers and NQTs in the future (budgets allowing of course - but a number of us in the department have copies of our own already). More importantly however this book should definitely NOT be bracketed as a book for trainee or 'newbie' teachers - ALL mathematics teachers should read this book and enact some of the great ideas explained in it. Buy it - read it - do it!

Absolute Empfehlung für jeden (Mathe-) Lehrer. Nicht ganz einfach zu lesen, aber mit vielen Ideen, warum der übliche Unterricht die meisten Schüler nicht erreicht und wie man es besser machen kann.

Aínda non rematei o libro, pero estame a resultar moi interesante, e iso que dou clase de tecnoloxía e non de matemáticas. Identifícome moito co autor, pasei moitos anos da miña carreira docente pensando que a aprendizaxe debera ser o menos dirixida posible, que é mellor o descubrimento que a instrucción, que a motivación sería maior canta máis liberdade tivera o alumnado para escoller contidos e actividades... e, aos poucos, fun comezando a sospeitar que non todo era tan fácil. O autor propón un sistema moi pautado de instrucción explícita, aínda me falta tempo e ensaio para saber se funciona e canto funciona, pero é, sen dúbida, unha visión moi necesaria para a reflexión sobre o proceso educativo. Imprescindible para profes.

I read a lot of books on maths teaching, and in each book the author seems push their program or their limited opinion of what works based on their ideologies, but they just don't have a comprehensive, universal philosophy. And then I read this book... I was wrong, Craig Barton has written an incredibly practical and logical book on what teaching matters in mathematics. He has broken through the various fads and ideologies using his thorough and impartial reading of the relevant research. He has then condensed it into a practical guide for teachers. I cannot speak highly enough of this book.

Very good book, evidence-based. Not usual as far as education books are concerned.